


Amity

by xdarlingnickyx (Sonny)



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Drama, Extreme A/U, Heavy Angst, Knotting, M/M, Omega Verse, Romance, Underage - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-09-25
Updated: 2012-05-16
Packaged: 2017-10-24 00:51:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 54,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/257015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sonny/pseuds/xdarlingnickyx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared is a human-to-canine hybrid called "Canus"; Jensen Ackles is the middle son of Alan Ackles, Jared's Master, who had purchased him five years ago to be an "attack guard dog" and head of Ackles security team. Over time he would've become the "family companion" who takes care of the Ackles children, being sole companion to Josh Ackles. That was the plan until three years ago when Jared was severely wounded in the line of duty. Now he's retired, officially become domesticated and caretaker to all of his master's children, but when he was promised to Josh...no one realized how much Jared would grow to love and wish to mate for life with Jensen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> from **spnkink_meme** **REQUEST: Underage, knotting, D/s, Sam/Dean, animal traits**
> 
>  _I just read this article on the NYTimes online_
> 
>  _http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/us/12dogs.html?_r=1 &hp_
> 
>  _(sorry I'm not good at formatting, but hopefully if you copy/paste the link it'll work)_
> 
>  _About a new trend for rich executives to purchase highly trained and highly expensive guard dogs for protection for themselves and their family as well as a status symbol. Anyhoo...the article got me thinking so here's my prompt_
> 
>  _Jared has spent his whole life in training for this moment. As a Canus, he was selected for his impeccable pedigree and intelligence, and has been molded into the perfect family protector. He is sold to Jensen's father and is ready to start his new life as the Ackels' family guard dog. He has been rigorously programmed to follow command, attack without mercy, but yet to be a faithful and gentle family companion. But you know what they say about the best laid plans, and young Jensen Ackles and mutual attraction are just the wrench to monkey up the works._
> 
>  **a/n :** _I don't know why, but I got sucked into this prompt, like, whoa...I immediately had an idea on how to write it, but I wanted a “future” storytelling into an established companionship/relationship between Jared/Jensen. This gives me so much leeway to do a pre-story and/or a post-story...and do timestamps or ficlets, if I so wish. I fell in love with this “universe” so much._

**  
[](http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/829/amitytitlename.jpg/)**

****

The Canus District sits nestled in the valley of mountains just outside of a major metropolitan city. It's origins date back forty-plus years to a little village in a South American jungle. In the last two decades, Dr. Silas Overton has brought Canus culture into the mainstream, culminating all his hard work by having won the H. G. Anderson award to better humanity in human-to-canine behavioral science. He had successfully combined a mixture of canine DNA [ _one specific_ ] with human DNA, creating a group of hybrid canine-humans simply termed—CANUS. The main source of all canine DNA had come from one single bloodline of German Shepard, whose name was... **Apollo**. Apollo's specific genetic code was said to be extremely compatible with human DNA, but that didn't stop the further studies of other breeds—mixing and matching different canines within the bloodline of Apollo.

By recent years, “purebloods”, direct descendants of the true Apollo gene pool, are a dying breed. Only few remain fully functional and intact as so often the Canus people are to serve their one duty—guarding the human race. There are still Apollo canines, but the genetics have been doused severely with too much human counterparts and/or too many different dog breeds to remain as powerful as the true Canus once was.

Dr. Overton's creation remained an underground experiment until he sold-out his project to the United States military—air, sea and land. The sole purpose of a Canus soldier was to serve their country of origin and protect the human race. It did not take long for the rich and bored-with-life-because-they-already-owned everything-else to pick up on the mighty price tag of a Canus soldier, which was upwards of half-a-million American dollars. Dr. Overton and his colleagues considered Canus soldiers better controlled under one single regimented command and not spread out around the world to different households/families, with the possibility of going “rogue”—turning rabid, falling ill or contracting a canine-based sickness that rendered them useless, maybe even dead within a few years.

Starting out slow, the Canus soldier was outfitted to be bought and raised to serve under top-level executives, foreign dignitaries and famous celebrities, mainly used in the form of a “bodyguard”. Overtime, the price of a Canus guard had diminished to being quite affordable—if you had the cash to spare—and many humans were buying them as extravagant gifts for those who were hard to shop for. The Canus soldier was not only an effective guard dog, but they were often touted as being “the best babysitter” money could buy as their calm demeanor and no-holds-barred nature allowed them to be great human companions inside the households where they lived. As was apparent when a Canus soldier could no longer serve his once-coveted position as “bodyguard”. Some remained in the household as family companions, or “pets”, to keep loved ones company, or most retired Canus had died of rare illnesses that had began to afflict their kind. Not many survived a human lifespan, only the lifespan of a canine.

These days the Canus are still used for protection but as the years progress and the Canus culture bleeds into humanity, they have gradually integrated into the populous. They are always in a career of “service” to humans, intricately weaving their way into getting their own civil rights so they could be considered another “race”.

At present time, Dr. Overton is retired from his chosen profession and had moved out of the country to a small island off the coast of South America. His legacy still lives on in the science and behavioral labs inside the Canus compound. College classes are often taught with his discoveries and theories, and his former students and lab technicians have begun to work on the next phase of the Canus breed—a future world Dr. Overton had only once dreamed of seeing in his lifetime.

If it weren't for the military constantly needing the Canus soldiers, the Canus breed of human canine would be long dead and buried—the last remaining survivors dying off over the years. No longer using humans already born to split their DNA with a canine, these last five years have shown they are now starting to experiment with building a better Canus soldier from incubation. The “designer” Canus hybrid fetuses created in a test-tube, who can be molded and shaped to be the best soldier on the field—the meanest and deadliest motherfuckers you would ever want to meet on foreign soils.

This, of course, has proven a rather distasteful outcome as prior Canus are forced to deal with the “runts”—failed deliveries from in-vitro births from surrogate Canus mothers that have deformities, handicaps or show mental deficiencies. Still, the experiments continue...but none of this is known to the humans, not even the ones who live right next door to the district.

The Canus District consists of a self-contained small town, complete with neighborhoods, schools, churches and small shopping plazas that hold stores and restaurants run and operated by the Canus themselves. Situated in the back of the district, the Canus military compound houses the C.A.G. [ _Canus Armored Guards_ ]—the very Canus soldiers born of Overton's experiments. Once the President of the United States signs the bill that gives the Canus their civil rights, the military will then become... _Canus_ ** _American_** _Guard_. Slightly west of the military base, the Canus University campus contains several different levels of classes to teach the Canus “cubs” [ _in this frame-of-reference a “student”, but mostly means a Canus from the ages of first puberty until their maturity is reached_ ] a subservient lifestyle amongst their human dominants—or simply put, their “masters”. Settled amidst the military base, and the campus grounds, is Canus Group INC., a large conglomerated international business where a majority of the Canus world does its lucrative business endeavors.

Both humans and Canus work together to improve upon Dr. Overton's original concepts of the human-to-canine hybrid all over the district. Most Canus are capable of sustaining their own lives, as short as some may be, within the district alone, but others...others have found ways in which to move outside of the district and merge into real human culture.

To give an example on the integration of the Canus into the human race can be found in the life of **Jared** [ _last name redacted since Canus birth_ ], who was bought for the sum of $234,562 to be Alan Ackles' attack bodyguard. That would've been his sole purpose had he not been shot several times in the back, protecting the children of Master Ackles—mainly, Jensen Ackles, middle child and second son of Jared's master.

Master Ackles purchased Jared with the full intention of passing the Canus onto his older son, Josh, when Jared reached his prime and would only serve best as a loyal family companion. Right from the start, Jared and Jensen had been inseparable. And when Mackenzie had been born, the first year Jared had worked for Master Ackles, he took the youngest child into his life as his “pup”.

Three years ago, while out on a press junket, Canus guards under Jared's command had spotted a suspicious vehicle tailing Master Ackles; this routine had been going on for two weeks. A few covert ops and fake “plants” of Master Ackles being in his usual places, Jared and his crew thought they had nabbed the bad guys.

Days later, Jared had been feeling restless and nervous, almost begging Master Ackles to call off his press conferences, especially when Jared had learned his Master considered bringing the children along. Jared had been assured everything would be “fine” and...sadly, all hell had broken loose. With his deep concern for the Ackles children, Jared had used his body to not only shield Josh and baby Mack in her father's arms, but to cover the intended main target of...Jensen Ackles.

No one knows how, but miraculously, Jared had survived. He had understood if Master Ackles would feel like reselling him back to replace him with a fully functioning Canus. He had felt grief and guilt, knowing such a failure had occurred on his “watch” and that he had foregone his own instincts to trust in a Master's thoughtlessness to his own life and the life of his family. His stupid hurt feelings aside at the thought of being sold back, Jared had been moved into the main house and had become a full-time companion and caretaker of the Ackles children—the very children he had saved the lives of.

Jared had felt indebted because he knew the fate of a Canus, unable to serve a subservient role, these days was on shaky ground—especially resting in the hands of a Master who had spent hard-earned money on one performance of guard duty.

Not every Canus' life was so cookie cutter or remotely like Jared's. No happily ever afters as a Canus.

Most Canus failures happened right inside the district. Human and Canus scientists and doctors trying to build a bigger, better and stronger “product”. Or so their continual military funding often required of them. This meant that not every Canus human-canine hybrid made it into the military guard services. Those that didn't become a cadet were sent back to the laboratories at Canus Group INC. in an attempt to make it through rigorous medical tests, intense and sometimes radical behavioral therapies to make sure once they were “let out” into the small Canus town that they didn't “go rogue”.

They tried to find balance as Canine American, or simply a “Canus”...as they liked to be called.

Jared's formal release of his human identification was able to be returned back to him, without preamble, directly from the President himself; Jared was one of those exemplary Canus soldiers others of his kind had been striving to be like.

One week a month [ _at times, however long was needed_ ], Jared returns to the Canus District as he is now a partial stockholder in Canus Group INC. But also for personal reasons as he had wanted to make certain the Canus experiments and the Canus cadet trainings are on the up-and-up—no weird or strange business taking place.

It's easy to admit that throughout the Canus culture—at least in the district itself—Jared was looked upon like a rockstar. He has begun to use that tiny popularity for heroism for his humans to make a huge difference in the world for a Canus. When he was a CAG and then an attack guard, he often return to the compound to be experimented on himself, studied and have medical tests done on him to further help the newer breed of Canus coming out.

Since his “domesticity”—which is now written on his I.D. badges, along with Ret. CAG Master Sergeant...he no longer is a blip on their radar.

By Canus law, he is to be left alone to live out his lifespan with his family as their faithful and ever-loving companion.

==&&==&&==  
 **TBC...**


	2. Chapter 2

_“ATTACK!! **HALT!!** ATTACK!! **HALT!!”**_

From his perch at the balcony railing at the Canus Group INC. building, Jared spies the view he can see of the training grounds of the military base. Though retired for three years, with special commendations from the President, when Jared visits his old home he's always garbed in his CAG uniform, standing at relaxed attention with his long arms folded at his lumbar spine. He doesn't wear the formal cap of his uniform so his mane of dual-colored hair—a mix of red-browns and inky blacks—blows freely in the chilled breeze, brushing back from his square jaw and high forehead.

His appearance looks unkempt by human standards, despite his formal military attire. Not only is his hair too long but his coat of skin-fur, beneath the wool of his CAG dress coat, is thick enough to block the cold air of the Canus mountain valley. On his face, diagonal off his sideburns are mutton-chops that meet a small spattering of dark bristles at his chin and around his upper lip. His coat of skin-fur isn't too thick except at the wrists, at his waist and down near his lower calves and ankles. His hands, that are normally uncovered, are gloved in the finest leather to disguise his paws; he has individual fingers, just like a human, but they end in sharp nailbeds, claw-like when they're grown out. The gloves are worn as a courtesy to humans who live and work amongst the Canus, in order to prevent incidental scratching or puncture wounds.

Jared has been away from home for more than seven days. He's eager to get back as he knows he can't remain inside the Canus District forever; his priorities and main focus now are forever ingrained in the Ackles household. He wants to return to the mundane normal routine of taking care of three growing children, but mainly he wants to see Jensen. This compound had been his first home, but Jared had found his real home outside of this world—his own place to belong. It's a little depressing to be at the Canus compound lately because Jared refuses to believe he can't try to save every single one of his Canus brothers and sisters—even those being born as he stands there looking out over the vast land.

Too many of them are dying off fast, becoming instantly sick with rare viruses or terminally ill with incurable diseases. Not to mention that many cannot take the mental strain of the Canus life once they seek independence from their families, trying to live on their own but failing miserably. Nestled in a section of the Canus town is a shelter—several of them, actually—that take in these Canus “runts” who don't make it to a cadet life in the military or even out of their own incubation lab. The Canus shelter is, to Jared, the very heart of what the life of a Canus really means these days—the awful, stark reality of uncontrollable failures.

“ _ATTACK!! **HALT!!** ATTACK!! **HALT!!**_ ”

Jared's pointed ears flinch as he hears the throat clear behind him and the soft crinkle of a short glass holding amber-colored liquid—a mid-day cocktail, Scotch, circa 1964. As his face contorts in a small burst of grief, Jared turns away from the view to step back through the open doorway of his old superior's office at Canus Group INC. A decorated CAG officer who has seen it all. General Jeffrey Dean has earned this spot on the board, although he would rather be down there, eagle-eying the training of the new cadets. Jared closes the sliding glass door partway, knowing his ex-superior, now a trusted old friend, likes to listen to the sounds of the cadets, but never goes out on his balcony because of his fear of heights—something his canine DNA built into his hybrid sytem.

Jeffrey Dean spins his chair around as he waves Jared over to take a seat in front of his massive coffin-sized desk. As Jared complies to the silent command, Jeffrey Dean combs through his mane of inky black to stark gray strands. He scratches at his tri-colored mutton-chops and swears, “ _Vai'grah!!_ ” [ _FUCK!_ ] then downs the last of his chilled drink. He reaches out a paw to pour another, but Jared's lightening reflexes swipe the bottle and recaps it in three seconds.

“I think you've had enough... **Sir**.” English between Canus is rare, especially with CAG officers, but Jared is on his way home. He knows he needs to get used to speaking American dialect.

Jeffrey Dean growls under breath, knowing his young friend is correct. He shakes his head, folding his arms on his desktop. His bleary brown eyes spot the bottle several inches away, on the opposite side of his ludicrously-sized desk. “Sometimes I wish for the old days, Jared. When things were easier an' it all didn' feel so _rushrushrush_...” His right paw, un-gloved, twirls around on the wrist joint like it's been broken to create the idea of what chaos life is for their culture these days, since the integration into the human race.

“Has it ever been easy for _any_ of us?”

Lifting a graying bushy eyebrow, Jeffrey Dean smirks across at Jared. “Son, working up here in this oppressive air-conditioned prison will turn any pureblood nostalgic for the good ole days.” He starts to bat the glass between his paw pads, the sharp nailbeds make a second _cling-clang_ noise that echoes in the near-empty room as the melting ice is jostled. “...i's different than I thought i'd be.” Jeffrey Dean makes a sad-face, which draws down his mutton-chops and scrunches his good looks into a somber mode. “Thought I could seat myself high enough on the food chain to bring change—instead...I find I compromise my ethics more an' more.”

Jared nods in understanding. Even five or ten years ago, the status of a Canus held something of honor and prestige. Now with their segregation nearly depleted, life was slowly coming to mean more like a “product” than an actual race of new human. The old respectable ways of Canus were dwindling to nil. “Why do you think I volunteer my time at the shelters and rescue homes?” Jared averts his gaze to stare down at the floor, at the tips of his heavy polished boots. “I will always be on-board for further technological advancements, for the Canus already here, but—” He isn't sure if he's allowed to speak _this_ freely, certainly not with someone still heavily involved in both the Canus Group and the military itself. “I'm sorry, **Sir**. I know you have much worse situations to deal with.”

Jeffrey Dean blinks his lids slowly to start sobering up. “Speak your mind, boy. It's _only_ ** _us_**. No one else will hear.”

“...please, do not mistake my service to my family, but I think we have let the humans gain too much importance. By now, should we not have _our own_ doctors and scientists who are familiar with our past?” Jared makes a worried face with raised eyebrows. “Not only our history, but what the Canus _truly_ goes through...in all matter—body, mind and heart? I often fear we've sacrificed greatness for mere profit.”

“I cannot disagree, Jared, but I think we are both fully aware that _without humans_ —without their DNA, or their openness to explore and experiment—we would _not_ be as advanced as we are.” Jeffrey Dean shot a gun sight shaped pair of fingers toward Jared, nodding his head as his point was driven home. He swishes the same paw over to the left. “Nor off to an opportunity to finally have a freedom of _choice_ instead of made to serve in _one_ field of career.”

Jared bites the inside of his cheek to squelch his want to vent building frustrations. Jeffrey Dean is mated to a human; he needs to tread lightly around this sort of speech. “But at what point do **_we_** , as a defining culture, start to take over _our own_ way of life?”

“ _mmm..._ ” Jeffrey Dean sits back in his chair, crossing one leg over a knee. “...you're beginning to sound like a free-thinker.” He teases the retired CAG officer lightly with a slight smirk to his lips. “They don't feel the draw to apply for the Guard and they emigrate out of the district to seek out a more ' _human_ ' way of Canus life.”

“You've lived amongst you're own kind, **Sir**. You were lucky to fall in love with a human on base, but have _you_ ever thought of leaving?” Jared's never admitted to Jeffrey Dean his own feelings for a human, not even that it's another _male_. But he's also scared to admit that the human isn't even of the age where he's considered an adult and able to live on his own. If Jensen were Canus, he would be considered of the age of properly finding his mate, having hit his most heaviest “heat” and being increasingly fertile.

“ _The base?_ ” Jeffrey Dean has only managed to survive within the walls of Canus District, not even fathoming venturing outside in the wacky world he's only read about, or heard from his own mate—his spouse...well, his legal human “wife”, Samantha. He fondly calls her “Sam” to friends and family.

“The district, **Sir**.” Jared raises his chin, hoping to get a straight answer. He never knows with Jeffrey Dean, what kind of a response he'll get, which is why he's always had a deep affection for the older soldier. He smirks from one side of his mouth. “I'm sure there's a quiet cabin, somewhere in the woods, where you can find domesticity with an older couple, and your mate can share in the living arrangements.” Jared has met Samantha quite a few times now, without Jeffrey Dean around, and he does enjoy her company and her lively conversations.

“Do _you_ think I should retire?” Jeffrey Dean arcs a lone eyebrow in inquiry.

Jared shrugs because...had anyone asked him this question for himself, before he retired, he would've had a completely different reply. “Domesticity isn't so bad.” Resting elbows on the chair's armrests, he threads his fingers to steeple his paws together. “Three years strong and I'm still as dominant in the household as I was as their Alpha attack guard.”

“Ackles was a rare find, Jared.” Jeffrey Dean nods his head in acceptance as he works on playing with his signet ring he received on cadet graduation. He narrows his gaze on Jared. “We lucked out for you. I doubt there are other families like them who treat their Canus as if they were blood-related.”

“Yes, my family is rare, but...working with the shelter and seeing where the rescues have sent the sick and malformed Canus—we don't have to limit ourselves to _only_ the district.” Jared untangles one paw to make grand gestures in the air toward the windows in the office space. “A whole _world_ is out there willing to embrace **_us_**... _our way of life_. We can find these ' _runts_ ' homes, and we can _stop_ treating them like the walking dead or like second-class Canus.” If he had a desk or a podium, Jared would be making a fist to pound his paw down on the surface.

Jeffrey Dean mimics Jared's motion with his own arm, but mocking him in such a way to make certain that the younger Canus doesn't keep his heads to far up in the clouds. “There are _still_ humans out there who see Canus as lower-class...almost slave-like—who beat and maim our kind.” He shrugs one beefy shoulder to make a sweeping gesture. “Again...sheer luck of the draw, Jared.”

Jared quiets down before he allows his passionate nature to surface. It's easy to suppress when he knows he's on his way back home _—to Jensen_. “Have you heard anymore news about the K-9 project? Whether or not the board members will be interested...or am I just...” He put his tongue, literally, in his cheek. “—barking up the wrong tree?”

Jeffrey Dean smirks with a wiry twist to his mouth. “They inform me it's ' _in review_ ', but what _that_ means I'll never know. I do, suppose, it won't hurt them to prod once again, in our _next_ meeting.”

“I do appreciate everything you've done, and keep doing, **Sir**.” Jared bows his head in respect as he begins to speak, “I may be retired guard, but I'm still young enough to be unimpressive to them. Knowing you are in agreement with our business plans—well, it's the kind of boost a project like _this_ needs.” He looks up just as he reaches that last sentence, letting a genuine smile slip out.

Jeffrey Dean shakes his head in curious wonder. “I don't know why another Canus has never thought of this route before. Our creator was a K-9 officer—well, the equivalent of one for _his_ generation. The board members would be foolish not to honor Apollo's memory or the pureblood Canus tradition.”

“I know the district appreciates the military officers policing the grounds but it leaves a bit of a sour taste in their mouths to be regulated under the military, feeling rather harsh and totalitarian to them when it's only to protect and serve a small community.”

Jeffrey Dean sits forward in his opulent chair, leaning elbows on his desk surface. “Well, I've seen one too many CAG cadets lose their minds if they don't get ' _placement_ ' after their service. An alternative of this nature would give them a second option...” He holds up one finger in the air. “—there's that ' _choice_ ' thing again...might even boost everyone's confidence.”

“Exactly.” Jared can't help but agree with Jeffrey Dean, nodding his head slowly as he blinks slow. “Not every Canus is born for attack guard service. Having a choice _would_ cut down on sicknesses and deaths by nearly 50%.”

Jeffrey Dean waves his paw to stop Jared from doing his spiel again for him. “No need to crunch the numbers in my presence. I'm wholeheartedly on your side, son. Always will be. I promise you that much right now.”

==&&==&&==

Jared dons a pair of UV shades over his cat-like eyes: partly to block out the sun, but mostly to hide his frayed emotions. No one would want to see those sad soulful eyes of his as he walked away from his old “home”. He watches his bags being loaded into the Hum-V and remains on the steps before he feels composed enough to get into the vehicle to be taken out of the Canus District.

Seated in the back of the Hum-V, Jared is about ready to lean over to command the CAG officer driving to move, when he hears his name being bellowed. Instead of a one word command, Jared fits between the seats, places a gloved paw on the Private's shoulder and speaks in curt Canus dialect. Jared opens his door, climbs down and immediately takes off his shades, moving to greet the human male approaching him. It'll be an informal Canus greeting—a light hold of both arms, at the elbows or biceps, then a simple slide of cheeks, once and sometimes twice on both sides.

Dr. Misha Collins is used to the Canus as they are constantly in and out of his life: in his work, in his outside life and often in the social scenes he frequents. His best friend is an old Canus guard who lives next door as a faithful companion to an elderly couple. Dr. Collins knows Jared too well; he was one of Jared's doctors during his own human-canine “incubation”. Dr. Collins now holds a top executive position inside the behavioral labs and the corresponding medical facility. He's deeply embedded in the hybrid process as he always quotes he “eats, sleeps and shits” Canus data.

Dr. Collins quirks up one side of his mouth in a crooked grin. He's always been a bit infatuated with Jared, purely on a _professional_ level. They've developed a strange companionship over the years; Jared can remember the days of his early “cub” years—when Dr. Collins was a new hire to Dr. Overton's lab—he used to terrorize the young intern, often using him as his main scapegoat when the medical tests and too-frequent experiments were too much. Once Jared had been tamed by the military, or at least disciplined to a form of being docile when faced with the humans who “tested” and “prodded” him almost daily...the two _men_ bonded in an inexplicable manner where they both understood who they were and what roles they played in the scheme of things.

Dr. Collins reaches inside his trench coat to pull out his wallet. “—'m glad I had a late lunch. I was hoping to catch you before leaving to give you _this_.” He gives Jared a fancy electronic LCD business card.

At first, Jared cups the index card-sized object in his gloved palm, his brow wrinkling in wondrous curiosity. “What is ' _this_ '?”

Dr. Collins conforms his hands over Jared's jacket sleeve, able to feel the thickness of skin-fur Jared's let grow while he's been here; every day grooming goes to the wayside for Canus amongst their own kin and inside the district. It's a rather cold atmosphere inside the Canus Group building and even more outside as the mountain air can get up to freezing temperatures late at night—sometimes during the day as well. “It's the name and number of an old college buddy of mine—well, an ex-roommate...Nikolas Apenge.” He glances around to see if anyone is watching or listening to their conversation. Dr. Collins leans forward to speak near one of Jared's pointed ears, though he knows how sharp a Canus' hearing can be. He's erring on the side of caution. “As a fellow board member, I learned what you're trying to do with your K-9 project.” He pulls back to squeeze the bulky forearm.

Jared pockets the fancy business card and then lays his own gloved hand over Dr. Collin's on his sleeve. “Thank you, Misha.” He's beyond touched, almost too choked by mixed emotions. This new project is as dear to his heart as the Canus shelters and rescues homes have become.

Dr. Collins swallows the lump in his throat. Both of them are such bleeding-hearts for many of the failed Canus hybrid experiments coming out these last few years. “ _Call him_. When you get the chance. He'll be very interested in hearing your plans.” He gives one last squeeze before he lets go. “You'll find all the money you'd ever need in his keeping, Jared.”

Jared nods his head, keeping his chin bent to chest in partial submission, eyes downcast. As Dr. Collins draws back, Jared pulls off one of his crisp leather gloves. When a Canus touches a human with skin to skin contact it's a genuine sign of deep respect, but can also be looked upon as deeper affection.

Dr. Collins takes the offered hand, then draws Jared to his chest, in a manly one-armed hug, patting him on the back. “Take care, kid.” He doesn't like sounding this ominous, but he's had a few too many government officials sniffing about his offices and labs; if he's not careful, anything he knows about, or gets personally involved in, will vanish, possibly forever.

Before Jared can give a closing salutation, or just a repeated, soft “goodbye”, Dr. Collins swivels to rush up the series of steps to the Canus Group INC. building. It's almost as if the doctor was scared of being seen. Jared stretches his paw, extending his fingers to feel sweat on the matted skin-fur. His nails need cutting and he should get an all-over body-shave. He dons his glove again and the shades go over his eyes once more; he climbs into the backseat to command the Canus private to “drive”.

==&&==&&==

Jared's taken to the train station and on a bullet shuttle to the end-line closest to where he lives with the Ackles. The second he's off the platform, he sniffs and spots the familiar SUV parked, ready to pick him up to take him home. He slings his duffel bag and soft leather briefcase over one shoulder. He meanders through human and five-mile-an-hour car traffic to reach the Ackles vehicle. The engine runs idle and he knocks on the passenger glass window to signal the driver to unlock the door for him. He throws his bags in the backseat, but shuts the rear passenger door to eventually climb into the front passenger seat beside the Canus guard in the driver's seat.

“Jay, no...c'mon, man...” The Ackles driver, Christian, pounds a gloved fist on the leather wheel. “You're supposed to sit back there.” He thumbs behind him, because two male Canus might look suspicious if they're not dressed in formal CAG garb.

Jared pulls his gloves off, taking his shades off for good and unzips out of his coat. He knows he's on his way home, so he wants to get comfortable. “How are _they_ , Christian?”

Christian sighs, shaking his head as he knows he'll loose this battle with his Alpha co-leader. Even though Jared is domesticated and retired from duty, he still holds a place of honor and respect with his fellow Canus pack at the Ackles residence. “Well...” He looks both ways and backs out of the parking space to take off down the street, heading into backed-up traffic. “Mistress Mackenzie misses you fiercely...oh, an' Josh has returned...”

“Josh? Home?” Jared feels a tickle at the apex of his bottom—his tail bone—where, if he had certain combinations of DNA merging from his “birth”, he would've had a tail. His brow crinkles in worry and serious concern. “For good? Or simply a vacation?”

Christian shrugs with only some of the same amount of care; Jared gives enough so the other Canus guards don't have to. “I don't know, Jay. They only share that information with _you_.”

Jared nods in fairness. “And Jensen?” ** _My_** _Jensen..._ he always tells himself in his head so no one else knows his real feelings. He acts a bit submissive as he averts his gaze, staring down at his paws. God, he wishes he had time to hit the groomer's tonight. He wants to look presentable for his family—for Jensen, mostly.

Christian becomes quiet and tight-lipped, not sure he should state facts or give his own opinion. Being from an oppressed race, the sudden achievement of certain freedoms makes him wary of acting with free thought.

Jared gives a small smile as he nods his head. He knows Jensen too well, knowing the extra days he has been away have pissed off the young man. Especially when Jared had only planned to be away for the week. He hadn't known until he got to the Canus grounds how much longer his stay needed to be extended.

Taking off his right glove, Christian reaches over the middle console to grasp Jared's hand. Touch is tantamount to Canus; it conveys everything that makes them special and unique.

Jared appreciates the simple comfort. Out of all the Ackles Canus guards, Christian is the closest Alpha in temperament and emotion to him. Plus, Christian had grown attached to Jared during cadet training because everyone had assumed Christian was the weaker of the two; he had been much smaller than the typical Canus guard. People had thought most Canus to be tall and mighty...just like Jared. As the years proved with no certainty, many of the Canus births produced hybrids of all shapes and sizes...races and religions—just like the humans they were born from.

Jared brings the hand to his furry cheek, rubbing the top against his nearly full beard.

“Sleep, brother...we have a long drive 'til home...”

Jared closes his eyes to rest his head back, feeling Christian's affectionate scratch to his face and neck, the subtle way he soothes through his long hair.

“Did you call the groomer?” Fingers playfully twirl to tug at the ends of the longer locks.

Even though he looks asleep, Jared speaks quite clearly as he shoves away Christian, “...yes. _Tomorrow_. After I drop the kids off at school...” He means Jensen and Mackenzie.

One final pat to Jared's thigh, Christian turns on the back-lit LCD screen to tune the satellite radio to the strongest signal of a Canus radio station. Christian likes being with Jared because he's allowed to act...well, _human—_ singing slightly off-key [ _with a little howling for effect_ ] and car-dancing when he lets the rhythm of the beat hit him just right.

==&&==&&==

Jared isn't tired when they finally pull in behind the other SUV in the driveway. He and Christian bid one another “goodnight” and Christian walks around to the back of the main house to head directly toward the second home where the Canus guards had set up operations and living quarters—fondly called The Security Shack. It was hardly a real _shack_ , more like a smaller two-story home that housed not only the Canus guards, but everything they needed to be comfortablethat they would've found back in Canus District. Once behind the actual security room, the rest of the place looks like an Army barracks had imploded on a college fraternity house.

Christian can hear the loud rap music blaring the second he hangs up the keys and slips out of his formal driving jacket. He sniffs the air, smelling cannabis and Cuban cigars...not to mention rank body sweat and plenty of alcohol. The two Canus guards, Michael and Thomas, are dominant Alphas—just like Jared and Christian.

They're the newer human-canine hybrids, with more canine in them than their previous counterparts. They're all about physicality and muscle mass, not to mention they are crazy Kamikaze motherfuckers constantly putting their lives on the line for Alan Ackles. They are adrenaline junkies, built for combat and stealth missions ending only in death. The day-to-day bodyguard duty isn't what they've signed up for, but they do their jobs—what they were hired to perform. Their bodies are no different than Jared and Christian's, but it's their faces that make them stand-out. More canine-like features...like their extended snouts, blackened noses and their tendency to grow thick and long whiskers.

Michael scents Christian even before seeing him. Half of his mouth chomps on the wet end of a Cuban cigar while he's alternating 30-pound free-weights. “ ** _Mother's home!_** ”

Christian wanders in, catching sight of Michael, barely dressed in just a pair of workout shorts and dripping all over his closely shaved skin-fur in perspiration. Thomas is draped upside down on the shorter sofa, the reason for the smell of weed dangling from his pretty pouting lips. “Lovely.” He flips both of them his middle finger. “ ** _Lick my balls, Michael!_** ” He tries to throw out the words as a comeback over the loud music. It's a famous Canus rapper, C-Unit—almost like the human, Eminem. He walks to the stereo, turning down the volume dial. “Where's Chad?” Christian doesn't allow either of them to speak as he goes on to ask another question. “An' why aren't either of you covering the front for him on camera duty?”

Michael drops the weights. “The little **runt** _should_ be back.” He seems offended that Chad hasn't returned to cover their asses.

“Well, he's _not_ , Michael.” Christian is trying to contain his rage and frustration. He turns his head to include both Michael and Thomas. “One of you get out there and man the console. I'll go see where he's gone off to.”

From his upside down perch, Thomas barks out, “ ** _Check the litter-box!!_** ” It's a Canus joke and/or tease to mean the “bathroom”.

Christian ups the volume to a less deafening level, then wanders out of the living room. He checks the downstairs half-bath, finding no Chad. So he climbs the main staircase, two at a time, to reach the second floor and knocks on the hallway bathroom. “Chad?”

“ _yeah-yes..._ ” came a small whispery voice.

“Can I come in?” Christian shoves against the door to push his way in as Chad moves his long legs out-of-the-way.

“ _uh-huh..._ ”

Christian turns the knob to find the younger Canus guard on the floor, cradling the porcelain bowl. He notices that the young guard still wears his full CAG uniform, though the jacket is undone, lapels draping open; his stark white button-down is undone by two or three slots and the tie is askew. “Hey...you all right?” He moves to squat near Chad, reaching out to pet through the moistened lengthy strands on top of the blond head, then down the furred cheek. There isn't much of a prominent snout as with Michael and Thomas, but there is a stretch of the facial region around the nose and a faint darkening of the nosetip, which Christian touches to find it fairly wet and cold, meaning Chad's a little feverish.

Everybody in the Canus guardhouse is perfectly groomed at all times. Their skin-fur coats are shiny and glistening as it shows they are close to human as they can be. When properly shaved, the only thing remaining to make Canus stand out is their thick mutton chops, what humans called “sideburns”.

“Stomach bug?”

“ _eh..._ ” Chad grumbles as he attempts to dampen his sore throat and lick his chapped lips. “—Michael's turn to cook.”

“Chilli?” Christian is aware that Michael and Thomas don't know how to cook much else but soup, sandwiches, canned baked beans and chilli. And they don't always ask ahead of time how much spice everyone prefers in their chilli.

“oh, yeah...” Chad coughs, closes the lid and crosses his arms to rest his head down. “It was coming out of _both_ ends earlier.”

“ _awww_ , my poor baby...” Christian coos as he moves to settle his frame to hover over Chad in a comforting hold.

In the house, without Jared, Christian is their pack leader and den mother. Chad is the type of Canus guard who needs the easy, least deadly of tasks. He's called “runt” because he's one of the failed canine-hybrid experiments who has managed to survive and is able to bounce back from his mutation, falling into lesser guard duty like surveillance. It's only a malformed bone structure in his hips, but on a Canus guard who needs to be quick and active, it means certain doom and immediate disqualification for active military duty.

Jared had pulled some heavy strings to get Chad out of the Canus shelter he found him in and, with Alan Ackles' permission, he had purchased Chad to work under him in the household. Chad is perfect for desk duty, but piss-poorly for being the constant verbal punching bag for the rest of the Alpha guards. Jared had a fear that the mutations in Chad's DNA had fucked him up enough to demote him to a Beta status, even an Omega. If so, Jared had begged Christian to take charge of the younger Canus, looking out for him when Jared couldn't be there. What had started as an unwanted obligation has slowly morphed into a genuinely sweet “bromance”; Christian knows Chad has been “in love” with him as he keeps sweeping in and “saving the day” like some kind of Canus superhero.

“c'mon...” Christian stands to heft Chad off the floor. “...let's go put you in my bed. You can sleep there tonight. Bathroom's close-by too.” He doesn't _baby_ Chad; Chad is already ashamed by always feeling like an inadequate Canus guard. It charms Christian more into keeping Chad for himself. Since Canus guards are frowned upon finding true “mates”, it was allowed that they could have “companions” of their own. They aren't required to fully identify exactly what the companionship might entail, so it was left to the two Canus to decide.

The old traditional breeding farms on the Canus grounds were becoming a thing of the past. Canus men were given the right to choose to donate their sperm for incubation as an offspring was now a scientific option created in the laboratory. The only ones complaining are those Canus cadets who had happened to fall in love despite their military training. If they can plead their case in front of a high court, they are allowed to leave the Canus compound. Some are lucky enough to be bought and have fallen in love in the same house, working under the same Master. They can marry, but their fertility, and heats, have to be monitored by an official board certified Canus physician. It was rare to have a successful Canus-to-Canus pregnancy and birth that didn't end in death or a severe mutation—like Chad's.

Unfair when some Canus were sent out into the world, beyond the Canus grounds, and fell in love with a human; they were having a success rate of full-term gestations and healthier offspring. The Canus Group INC. knew every piece of this information, of the human-to-Canus births, and closely watched these families. The medical doctors and scientists would've liked having those 'pups' to study, but unfortunately it can only be voluntary these days with more civil rights being granted to Canus outside of the Canus District grounds.

Christian keeps a step behind Chad, following closely as the young guard limps with his familiar waddle toward the open doorway. Chad has an arm across his rolling tummy as he finds sanctuary in Christian's King-sized bed, laying on the cool, tangled sheets. Chad burrows in a fetal position with a slow groan. Christian softly chuckles with the shake of his head as he works to take off Chad's boots. He doesn't cover Chad with the blankets, just setting them near in case Chad undressed fully and needs to keep warm. Otherwise, the skin-fur will overheat and Chad will be more uncomfortable.

Sifting fingers through the silky golden blond locks, Christian purrs under his throat as he scratches Chad's cheek once he hears a hushed snore and the whimpers of blissful slumber. He hurriedly slips out of his formal clothes to place the whole outfit outside his closet on a hanger, then steps into his CAG uniform—he'll be going on Chad's duty until the young guard feels better, or either Michael and Thomas sober up. He doesn't put on the heavy wool jacket, only dressing into his button-down and trousers.

He moves to the nightstand to take off his driving watch, then puts on the military timepiece with the CAG insignia. He twists around the leather I.D. band around his left wrist that identifies him as a CAG officer, what rank and what house he patrols. Some Canus guards liked the thick collar—almost like a dog collar—around their necks that holds the oval I.D. pendant. Others still wear their dog tags, then had a third I.D made to hang off the chain to show what house they belonged to.

“ _...chris..._ ”

Christian feels the tiny skin-furs along his back stand-up. He _only_ allows Chad to call him “Chris”. “Yeah?”

“— _thank you_ —”

Christian sits on the mattress to change his shoes, pull up his socks. “Don't sweat it. You'd do the same for me.” As he straightens from bending over, Christian has no idea Chad has moved at all and was shaping his body around his right side. Chad is too embarrassed to rub their cheeks together. Christian simply stares down at Chad curling around him and the gentle purring sound under his breathing.

Christian quietly holds Chad's body for only five more minutes—more for himself, but also...to secretly force Michael or Thomas to suffer through security camera duty.

==&&==&&==  
 **TBC...**


	3. Chapter 3

Jared comes through the back way of the main house. He drops his bags and quickly raids the fridge, pulling out leftovers and digging around for beer. When he's satisfied he's full, he picks up his bags again, heading down the short hall to enter his bedroom. Even off the kitchen at the back portion of the house, it's an adequate room for Jared's tastes. He likes it simple and plain, almost as if he could leave anytime. He sets down his briefcase near his small roll-top desk, taking out the Android tablet to power up the battery from the wall socket. He takes out some files and places them close-by.

Snatching his duffel, Jared separates clean clothes from dirty. He puts away the clean, then shoves the dirty pile into his basket. As he sets the basket on the lone chair in the room, he takes off every piece of clothing to add to the dirty bin. He walks naked into his tiny bath and climbs into the cubed shower-stall. Dragging down the special Canus shampoo—perfect for his type of skin-fur—he scrubs his whole body from head to toe. He pays close attention to the thicker areas of his limbs where the bulk of his skin-fur grows: at the wrists, at his waist to upper thighs and then around his ankles. He skims over his sheathed cock only because his hormones aren't present once he's been on suppressants for a few days. All he can feel is excitement at seeing the kids, especially Jensen.

Stepping out of the shower, he towel-dries off first, then takes out his portable skin-fur dryer to get rid of most of the moisture. Jared's coat texture is fast air-drying; he only needs the slight jumpstart. Hanging the towel on the rack to dry, he wanders out completely nude to find a pair of pajama bottoms and a long-sleeved V-neck top. He feels a little better with the state of his paws, but he really needs to trim the pinpoint nailbeds before he hurts himself or someone he loves. He contemplates donning the gloves again, but whenever he's home, Jared knows the kids care very little about his looks, and he likes to touch skin-fur to skin to show he cares deeply and reveal his affections quite clearly. He does put on his slippers, only to save the poor hardwood floors from the unnecessary scratch marks he could make.

With a little kick to his step, Jared goes up the back stairs to the second floor, strolling down the hallway to look at and gently caress familiar objects. He stops and smiles at paintings on the wall, portraits of long-ago Ackles over many generations. Jared likes the appearance of a few of them, some are near-twins to Alan and his children. He doesn't mind the tendency to find images of himself in framed photographs. Jared knows he has become a part of the family, and he never feels he hasn't ever been, even on his worst days.

The first door he comes to is Mackenzie's. He feels moisture collecting behind his eyes before his paw turns the knob. Tip-toeing in, he goes about picking up her toys and setting her clothes on the hope chest at the end of her bed. When he deems the room as spotless as he can make it at 10pm, he ventures to the bed and slides over the small twin mattress to stretch out in front of the little girl; she lays on her back, pristine and pretty in slumber. She looks like a sleeping angel—his own opinion. Not a hair on her head mussed or any of her blankets and covers out-of-place as she sleeps underneath, head on a pillow, cuddling her favorite doll under her right arm to her small body.

Even as a baby, Jared had been fascinated by Mackenzie. His keen hazel eyes lingering, paws always wanting to touch. With his nails being too long, Jared soothes the back of his hand over the rosy cheek, waiting for the lashes to lift.

“ _...jay_?” The tiny hushed voice sounds confused.

“...yes, _pa'ia_ [ _pet_ ; slang ' _baby_ ' or ' _my baby_ ' ]...I'm here...”

Mackenzie buries her face away. “I miss'd you.”

Jared can only nod his head, unable to utter another word. He wants to touch, feel a sensation, something real to convey his apology for those extra two days he stayed away. He takes her doll, setting it aside to get the “snuggle time” he has been missing with Mackenzie. He's furry enough where he tickles when he nudges and nuzzles and his sloppy repeated kisses were almost licks, but Mackenzie doesn't care. She climbs out from beneath her blankets and sets herself in Jared's lap once she has him sit upright. Jared watches her curl into a ball over his legs, shaping to his body the way she always has since she was a squealing newborn. He has the magic touch to stop her from fussing and crying in a strange fit. There's something paternal and dominant about Jared that quiets and calms the child to a manageable degree. When Mackenzie was two, Donna Ackles made sure Jared watched her daughter 24/7; Donna always said that she owed Jared for the rest of her life for that glorious year of no “terrible twos”.

Jared is proud, but never boastful; he feels like he's raised Mackenzie as his own 'pup'. He spends more time with her than anyone in the family. He had been there when she rolled off her back, when she started to crawl, when she lifted herself to her own feet and when she took her first steps. He has been teaching her Canus language before English took over, but ended up letting her learn both. One day, she had asked him which words were for “ _mother_ ” and “ _father_ ” in Canus; he told her with no more thought than her simply being naturally curious and wanting to soak up information. The next time she had shown affection, she called him “ _oshla_ ”, which was a term he had never told her that was equal to the English “ _daddy_ ” or “ _dad_ ”. Jared doesn't know who to thank, to this day, but he owes them his heart. She doesn't call him that in front of Alan, but her father wouldn't even understand what she was saying.

With her back facing him and her small frame draping across his legs, Jared starts to scratch his nails over her soft cotton top to soothe over the back muscles. He leans over to rub his face on her hair, his cheek against hers, then wraps her tight to his chest and lays lengthwise with her as he hums and purrs to settle her back to sleep.

Before he leaves, Jared makes certain the doll is back in her rightful place, watching and protecting his little girl.

==&&==&&==

Jared is nearly to the next bedroom—Josh's—when he hears the creak of a door and sees Alan Ackles step outside his second floor office into the dimly lit corridor.

“ _ah..._ heard the _pitter-patter_ of feet. Thought it was one of the children.” Alan stands in a robed, striped pajama outfit, hard house slippers on his feet. Even for bed, the man is impeccably dressed and rather debonair in his aged good looks. He waits for Jared to head toward him so they can talk in his office.

Jared had wanted to say a quick “hello/goodnight” to Josh, then he still had Jensen to see. He lets out a muffled whimper, a frown marring his wide brow.

“...c'mon, Jared...come talk to me. Josh is out with a young girl anyway.” Alan rolls his wrist to look at the time. “He probably won't be back for a few hours. He may sleep at a friend's.”

Jared whimpers again, but through his nostrils, resting his paws on Josh's door, trying to reformulate in his mind to fix his tasks for the evening. Formally trained Canus often grow agitated or angry if a plan goes out of whack— _order not chaos_. He rarely sees Alan Ackles so his Master often throws out these curve-balls that might piss off other dominant Canus Alphas. Alan means well, but Jared has a routine built in his head that ends with him staying in Jensen's room, strictly platonic, curled at the side of the huge bed on the floor. But there are those rare nights, lately, when he's climbed under the covers to lay next to the young man, though no one is aware or cares.

Giving out a very human sigh, Jared walks down the hall, following the sweep of Alan's hand in mid-air to direct him. Though not very affectionate and fatherly to his own kids, Alan has a strange fondness for Jared. The young Canus guard had almost given his own life for him and the three Ackles children. Jared was told, while laying in a hospital bed, he would have a permanent home for life. He feels a little spooked when Alan shuts the door on a solid slam. He stands in the ridiculously large office, feeling like he had when he went to the White House and met the President—the Oval office is a bit more in size and oval. Alan's office is perfectly rectangle—a box shape too much like a cage. With a closed door, Jared still feels fear, just an instinct telling him Alan won't let him leave until the door is opened—even if it remained unlocked. Alan has taken control, and this fact disquiets Jared.

Alan used to be quite frightened of Jared's overall look, now it has become a weird comfort. He motions to a couch. “Sit down, son.” He shuffles toward a wet bar. “Drink?”

“No. Thank you.”

Alan nods as he heads to his desk, picking up a few files and a pen, then wanders over to a second, smaller couch, opposite Jared. He set down his glass, the files and the pen on the coffee table between them. Alan sits forward, elbows on knees as he shapes one hand over the other, rolling them around, and within his palms, like a nervous tick. “You, my boy...were gravely miss'd.”

Jared smiles. “That's what I hear.” He keeps his eyes down in as submissive of a stance as he can muster, looking up off-and-on to try and read his Master like he used to.

“How are things...over there?” Alan doesn't like to call the Canus District “home”, because he knows Jared doesn't think of it as such any longer.

Jared keeps his smile in place, but eventually he shakes his head to convey that not much has changed since his last visit.

“ _mmm..._ sorry to hear that. But—a good business idea says ' _it's always good at it's worst before it's at its best_ '...otherwise, where is the worth?”

Jared only nods and looks at his hands, picking at his nails.

Alan figures if Jared needs him, or his help, he will talk to him more openly, but the silence speaks more of Jared, and wanting distance from that old life now that he's truly home. “I need to talk to you about Jensen.”

Jared perks up his ears, lifting his chin to stare numbly at Alan. “What's wrong?”

“That's it. _I don't know_.” Alan clears his throat, taking a sip of his drink, then opens one file. “I think he's been getting in with the wrong crowd.” He passes over a series of large 8x10 glossy pictures that depict some private investigator having followed Jensen and taken the shots without him knowing.

Jared bites the side of his cheek, his jaw clenching. Leave it to Alan to hire someone to investigate his own son instead of outright _asking_ him what was wrong. He looks at the images, not sure what he's supposed to see. He doesn't notice Jensen in a single picture. “I'm not sure what you want me to see here.” Jared leans forward, like Alan, placing each photograph in a single file, overlapping the next one.

“oh, tha's right. You don't know.”

“Don't know— _what_?” Jared raises his chin and a lone eyebrow.

“The kid with the black mohawk and piercings—tha's Jensen.”

Jared feels his body go stiff and tense— _okay, fuck..._ seven _fucking_ days? And _this_ is the direction Jensen decides to move toward to be petulant and rebellious? This isn't the kind of “curve-ball” he wants to be thrown. The young man with the small mohawk—called a fauxhawk in some circles—isn't doing anything nefarious, unless one was strict about smoking and hanging out with a sketchy emo crew. “Jensen's not Josh.”

Alan swallows down the rest of his drink, pushing off the couch to refill his glass. “I know this, but it's such a drastic change in a short time. I know he's been distant for quite a while, but this...uh, this just clarifies our fears.”

Jared tries not to wince at the choice of words, like the whole of the family has discussed Jensen around a table and everyone gave out their opinions. Alan had always liked talking in a unity vibe, where “I” and “me” are “we” and “us”; it's something he's done for years, where he doesn't take sole blame or he wants to wash away guilt.

“We think—well, the investigator thinks it might have something to do with the school.”

“Bullies?” Jared is very aware of this issue, because it's been discussed between he and Jensen, whenever they've been alone, but never brought out that it's a serious distraction.

“Maybe.” Alan steadily nods his head, gesturing between he and Jared's chests. “But you and I both know how stubborn and headstrong he can be. I would imagine he's been able to take them on with some words as equally sarcastic and biting.”

Jared sniffles out a soft snicker because he knows Alan has been subjected to those moments himself. “You _did_ choose public over private. This, sadly, is the way teens operate these days.”

“I still need to know he's safe. Or at the very least...comfortable and protected. He'll turn 16 soon, then only 2 more years and he can pick his college of choice—whatever he wants.”

Jared is aware Jensen has no future plans for further education. Jared's little rebel-rouser is less a conformist and more of a realist. Jared would love for Jensen to take his father's infailing willingness to be passive about his choices as a challenge and truly apply somewhere prestigious and extremely expensive—Jared thinks it will end up being Oxford, but if he really wants to piss off Alan...Yale, maybe Harvard. Now Jared isn't sure what Alan wants from him— _spy on his son?_ In his head, Jared is refusing to follow a given order from his Master, but to his face...Jared will sit down and tell a different story. “I won't treat Jensen like he's done something wrong, make him feel guilty...” _My Jensen—mineminemine. “_ —but I _will_ sit down and talk with him. Even when he tries to be difficult.” Jared piles the pictures back together then sets them in the manila file they came out of. He stands from his seat on the cushions. “Goodnight, **Sir**.”

Alan stares open-mouthed at Jared. His heart breaking a little just looking at his ex-Canus guard. “I miss you on my detail, Jared.”

Jared crosses his arms, narrowing his gaze on Alan. “Are Michael and Thomas not satisfactory?”

“They're good. _Too good_.” Alan purses his lips and frowns deeply. “They have your honor, but not your heart and grace. I don't doubt my life is safe in their hands, but I don't think they give a rat's ass...not as much as you did.”

“I still do...Mr. Ackles.”

“ _no-no..._ I know you do. I've just...” Alan sets down his glass to look somewhere other than toward Jared. He's so immensely indebted to Jared, he is almost ashamed. “You've been more of a constant to the children than Donna—or even I—could've ever hoped to be. You've sacrificed much for the family. It hurts that I can't say ' _thank you_ ' enough for you to know.”

The shooting is an endless loop for Alan, Jared knows this for a fact. A man who can't even confront his own emotions or feelings could very well combust into himself in those quiet hours of solitary, depressive times. Alan has too many regrets and Jared has a role in the biggest regret of all.

“Mr. Ackles...” Jared folds his arms at his back, then wanders around the coffee table to advance alongside Alan. “... **Sir**...”

“—Alan...”

Jared smirks and nods his head. “Alan...you need to stop reliving that moment and take a long breath. If I learn anything with my visits to the Canus grounds, it's to always be satisfied with what I have, don't pine for things out of my reach. Make a bad situation good by looking beyond the negatives.” He reaches out, simply laying a paw flat to Alan's biceps. “I don't claim to know you or your life well—even your background—but I don't have to know much to understand that you're a good man with the capacity to have a decent heart. You chose to be sad—to be...morose, dwelling on things you cannot change. Don't let those feeling drive your mind throughout your day. You end up making it worse—on yourself, no one else.”

Alan nods his head, gently patting Jared's paw as he squeezes the shape. “You may not talk a lot, but when you do...you say all the right things.”

Jared agrees with a smile. “You off to bed soon?”

“uhm, no...have a few international calls to make. A CEO never sleeps, not when his clients and customers are up at all hours in a day.”

“Try to sleep a little—even if it's on the couch. I'll worry.” Jared gives one last pet to Alan's arm, then draws his paw back to walk away. He's oddly confident to open the door on his own and see himself out.

Only one thing is on his mind right now... ** _Jensen_**...

==&&==&&==

Jared actually feels nervous, hesitant at even placing his paw on the doorknob to open the paneling. He softly knocks, then pushes right in. He's quick to shut the door, lean back and release a heavy sigh of contentedness. It's always enough to simply be in the room, knowing Jensen is near. Without looking toward the bed, he goes on to clean the typical mess a 15-yr-old teenager leaves in his own personal space.

It's ludicrous—how huge Jensen's bedroom is now. What's even more ludicrous is the choices for the decor; the interior design and the furniture is better suited for a man in his 30s. Jensen Ackles has an old soul; he hangs out with older males which often gives him weird tastes and preferences. Jared secretly loves this bedroom, maybe because the look is close to his own tastes—if he felt any sense of freedom, of being able to make a permanent home somewhere. Jensen had been sneaky, but smart, asking all the right questions, getting Jared to give his own opinions on major decisions about the bedroom. Moments had been played off as Jensen being conflicted, but it was successfully getting Jared to create his own bedroom without knowing. The idea that Jensen slept and lived in an ideal room of Jared's choices turned the Canus on, causing his heart to flutter. Like Jensen had built their nest and was maintaining the area, sleeping on the very bed he dreamed of sharing with Jared.

Jared puts away the clean clothes first, so he can have an empty basket to use. The he works on throwing a week's [ _or two weeks_ ] worth of collected dirty laundry into the basket. It's a different scent than the cleaner clothes, but heady and arousing to cause Jared to swoon. He had thought Jensen's odor, when passing through puberty, had been gut-wrenching, but this newer scent was ten times as strong. Jared has no explanation why, when he's been on suppressants, that his hormone levels still go haywire. He does have better control—like a human male—where he doesn't feel like ripping Jensen's clothing off and fucking him until he begged him to stop.

Once he's gone around the room, pulling clothes off the goose-down comforter covering the sleeping form, Jared goes around the room, clearing dresser tops and fixing the unfolded chaos of each drawer. Three dressers—a total of sixteen drawers—really seemed like an excess for one young male teen. But Jared truly knew why Jensen lived in this type of luxury—it was the only outlet Alan Ackles had to show his son any emotion. All the love, so much of the guilt and a slew of other feelings locked away that Jensen would never feel from his father. Donna had done what she could but her choice of career had taken her out of the country and her foreign patients had become her number one priority. It had been her allowance for serving her time as Mrs. Alan Ackles and giving her husband three beautiful, well-behaved children.

Thinking about Jensen's losses causes Jared to whimper softly and step close to the bed frame—the left side where Jensen hibernates under layers of blankets and piles of pillows. Jared can hear the quiet bursts of snores, knowing that those pouting lips would part and expel air. Suddenly, Jared is struck needing to see this new “look” Jensen had seen fit to change into, before he lets Alan's silly private investigator photographs paint Jensen in a bad light.

 _...my Jensen..._

Jared grabs a pawful of the comforter's material and slowly pulls back the hem. Jensen's head is under two pillows, his arms up and around the plushness; it looks like a painful position. Upon further examination, Jared finds Jensen in a peculiar way—having slept on his stomach with his legs folded under him, ass-end in mid-air. Trouble is...when one sleeps in that awkward position, the deeper the sleep the more the body can no longer hold itself upright, so the frame eventually lowers to a prone formation. Jensen's butt is still stuck in the upward mode.

Jared throws the comforter away, exposing every inch of Jensen, plus some of the mattress. One arm tugs at Jensen's shoulders and the other arm fits under the knees, Jared turns Jensen to come out from under the pillows and settle on his back. He tries to fix the sleep attire—tank-t and boxers—to cover more skin as the material yanks and pulls every-which-way. Jared places a paw on the flat belly, then pets over the bandanna covering the once gorgeous blond locks. Pushing back the hem of the bandanna, Jared can see the inky black hair dye. It makes the pale freckled skin stand out. Thankfully, there's no sign of the nose-stud, but there are three ear-ring loops on Jensen's left ear, with a metal cuff high on the lobe. Jared squats at the bedside—the lightest scrape of his index finger's sharp nailbed drawing down the tiny sideburn, along the strong jawline, down the neck and landing on what looks like a Canus I.D. collar.

As he runs the finger against the soft leather, Jared sees that instead of the pendant, there's a spiritual insignia of some kind, maybe letters in a foreign language—could be Canus. As the fingertip stops at the collarbone, he lets his eyes roam down Jensen's body to pause at the right wrist where a Canus I.D. bracelet is attached...and Jared has had enough. He stands and yanks the comforter to cover Jensen entirely, not wishing to see anymore that will anger or frustrate him.

Jared is feeling white-hot rage. It's because he feels that Jensen might be dating a Canus human he's met at school. What other reason is there for all those Canus trinkets as if some hybrid mother-fucker was trying to encroach on Jensen, taking him away from Jared and his family. He storms over to the closet—which is another disaster area to clean, but Jared will do that later—and he reaches in to take out the folded, inflate-able Canus sleeping mat. But first, he has to pick up the floor at Jensen's bedside.

Dragging over the garbage bin, he starts to crumble up trash and throws whatever he finds into the receptacle. Jared's frustration enrages him to carry-on cleaning up the area without even taking time to learn what he's putting away. He turns on the portable inflater, hearing the soft hum in the air, then picks up the last of the dirty clothes from under and around the bedside to put everything into the laundry basket. By the time Jared makes it back over, the mat is completely inflated, and he has space to fit himself on the floor below Jensen. He isn't about to climb into the bed unless invited, even though he knows there was an “open, all-the-time” invitation standing.

At first, Jared lays on his back, paws folded together over his abdomen. Only minutes later, he still seethes with jealousy and anger, so much so that he rolls over with his back facing Jensen. Even though he's drowning in misery, Jared manages to close his eyes as the heat radiating underneath lulls him to a restful slumber.

==&&==&&==

Jensen wakes up with pressure low in his belly; his bladder pushes something fierce against him. He doesn't even look at his bedside, simply crawling on a bounce down to the end of his mattress, dashing to the bathroom. He looks blearily around as he turns on the overhead light, then dims the hue to be less blinding. Jensen lifts toilet lid and seat, reaching into his boxers to pull out his semi-erect cock to direct the flow of urine into the bowl. He sidesteps the cold splash of water and...instantly reminds himself he still has the latex toy inserted inside his virgin hole _...christ-fuck!_

The sensations he feels of the mini four-inch bulbous plug, rubbing at his entrance causes him to exhale a breath inside a long moan. He cranes his head backward, giving a small pump forward and jolt to his body, feeling his prostate being soothed. He remembers how he had fallen asleep with it in, having come quite efficiently while playing with himself, picturing his fantasy lover in bed with him. Jensen flushes, moving to the sink to wash his hands. He looks at his reflection and stares at the sad state of his appearance. He looks...utterly exhausted and zoned out from too much private-time and...well, he knows it's mainly because Jared not around to entertain him, occupy his frenzied mind. _Jesus_...Jensen turns the faucet to cold, splashing water on his face, using the towel to pat his eyes dry. He steps back from the mirror and begins to practice exactly how he will be greeting Jared... _whenever_ he decides to come home.

“ _heyyy, jay-rod!_ ” Jensen shakes his head because that sounds way-too douchey. “ _Hi, Jared. Nice of you to finally decide to come bac—_ ” He interrupts himself because now he's projecting hidden anger and being more of an asshole than he plans on sounding like. _Not fair to Jared_. Then Jensen gazes at his face a while, leaning on the sink counter coyly to stare at his reflection and goes on to say, “. _..dra'conagu brad'nove i'afech limadi, Jar'd..._ ” Basically Jensen asks to be some sort of “service-giver”—of the sexual kind—to Jared...like his bitch in heat. He snorts out a laugh, rolling his eyes at his dorky self. Jensen leaves the bathroom as he turns off the light.

Jensen is prepared to kick clothes out-of-the-way, step over his school bags and guitar case, but he notices how clean his floor is, how neat and tidy his dressers are with their closed drawers. He slowly steps to glance around his bed and notices the inflater to the Canus sleeping mat, then the dark brown shaggy hair that is unmistakably Jared's...

“... _no!fuckin'!way!_ ” Jensen places both hands to his mouth to keep from squealing like a fangirl. His body tenses, which means his anal muscles clench, and he almost sends his body into orbit. “ _...holysh—christ!_ ” He jolts forward, then slowly timbers to the floor on his knees, crawling to the end of the mat. ...god, he loved this thing—so warm and toasty. The sleeping mat being out meant Jared would be in his room, but he was often reminded of the past, when Jared slept at the side or the foot of his bed. Back then, the mat had stayed out all the time, now its homemade look clashes with the art deco decor. Days ago—some mere hours ago—Jensen could have cried from the mixture of excitement, anticipation and overall need to call Jared to come back home...quick...or he would die...

Jensen knows how important Jared's work and his interaction at the Canus facilities are; they have had many a late night conversation about the changes coming to Canus culture, the treatments of the dying Canus hybrid breeds and mainly all those things connected to who—and what—Jared was. Jensen even knows how much Jared volunteers at the shelters, giving more than just his time there. He loves his big, dumb Jared's heart the most.

He reaches out to touch the toe of the slipper, then gradually cups the bulky ankle covered in the thicker skin-fur he dearly loves seeing once and a while—he prefers Jared smooth and dusted with that sleeker gorgeous skin-fur after the body-shave. One thing he does like about the furrier Jared is the intense heat and unrelenting softness—it's addictive. But also kind of kinky as Jensen can see himself jacking off quite successfully, just rubbing naked over Jared's thick coat. Slowly, Jensen slinks up Jared's body, trying to dislodge the folded arms so they open and surround him. He lets his hands slide along Jared's sides and settles his hold at the thick waist, then burrows his face in Jared's chest.

It doesn't take long for Jared to languidly open his eyes. Jensen is an expert cuddler, though Mackenzie is a close competitor since Jared had tended to her since she was a baby. Jensen's touch is a bit more intimate, like a lover. His hands petting, fingers clutching, and then there's that slow draw of the leg along Jared's own limb...Jared starts purring with a slight whimper. He holds tight onto Jensen, not moving except to bury his face in the back of the darker locks as Jensen burrows deeper into his chest. Jared pulls his hands up, nails out and begins to scratch through the tank-t, but is tender than usual since the nails are more claw-like.

Once Jared has his libido under control, to a certain degree, it's Jensen who begins to pant. He doesn't draw away, only slides his smooth cheek up Jared's upper chest then merges their faces together in greeting. Jensen even goes as far as to nuzzle, then tenderly gnaw at Jared's sensitive earlobe—during mating this is one of the “hot button” erogenous zones on a Canus' body. At first, Jared wants the attention—mostly because he has missed Jensen—missed his scent, his companionship, his laughter...his beautiful, ethereal features.

Jared pulls back, growling low and softly nipping at pulse points on the side of Jensen's neck. “ _...no, Jensen...no..._ ” He has to shut his eyes because the sensations of Jensen's body rutting his hips against his lower half is about to send Jared out of control. Jared lowers his paws and grips both sides of the tiny waist, stopping Jensen from moving. He releases the neck which causes Jensen to sound out his own Canus-like whimper, then he buries his shame in Jared's throat. Jared is attempting to roll backward, to dislodge from Jensen's sturdy hold, but everywhere he moves Jensen comes with him.

In Canus intimacy, it's not kind to throw off the body in denial of affection, because loving touch and gentle assurances toward power have to be handled delicately. Jared flips to have Jensen on his back, but Jensen does one better and he keeps his body rolling to land on his stomach; there's a desperate offering of Jensen's bottom, the soft whimpering releasing as if he were a Canus Beta or Omega who wants to be knotted raw, then bred.

Jared wishes he could act on the sweet plea, but there's too much on his mind and inside his heart to take Jensen's innocence so cruelly. One of the pads of his paw traces down the slope of Jensen's back, landing over the two perfect globes of ass and he grips tightly. He has no idea of the small plug inside Jensen's thrumming rectum. Jared presses his torso crossway over Jensen, nuzzling the right side of his neck, licking to clamp down on the barest of clenches with his teeth. It's only a mimicry of what's to come for their future, but to Jensen...it feels more real and current.

The twin sensations of pain and pleasure send Jensen's body into an inner spiral as his hips hump once against the mat, causing him to shoot a hot load of semen beneath his boxers, moistening a patch of the cotton near his groin. Jared scents the shift in odor, the high level of hormones, and eventually the soft panting after the short cry of release. He sits upright, climbing to his knees as he sets his paws under Jensen to turn him onto his back once more. Knuckles on the mat, Jared sniffs around Jensen's red-ripe face, down the sweaty neck and collar to eventually move along to smell the strong odor of Jensen's crotch. He palms the hidden length, feeling the wetness and the still throbbing heat of a frenzied vein.

He makes a disapproving noise that sounds like a sneeze, averting his head to the left then the right. Jared isn't disgusted although Jensen's reaction shows he's mortified by his quick ejaculation. Jared pushes the mat further out from the bed, then opens the bottom drawer of Jensen's nightstand—the one he had stuffed earlier with those weird items he had found on the floor. Just taking a peek inside causes Jared to pull the whole drawer open until it tilts fully out. Jared stares at everything, attempting to take in the whole revelation. Somehow Jensen had discovered a supplier of realistic Canus cocks, of all different shapes and sizes. There's water-soluble lubrication and two books that appear as if Jensen has been doing “research”— **The Joy of Canus Sex** and **232 Sexual Positions for the Canus Lover**.

Jared slams the drawer shut, rattling the nightstand. He grabs the small shape to stop the noise, then focuses his eyes on what's laying on top of the furniture's surface—a Canus-to-English dictionary and an open, spine-bent and flattened worn copy of **A World Divided** by _E'lch Idebergh_ , who was a famous classic Canus writer on the level of Twain or Dumas, about a canine dystopia. Jensen seems to have been reading one of the original copies in the Canus language.

Jared can't take it anymore. He had merely left for _seven_ days with an innocent love and affection shared with his chosen life companion...and had come back to find that somewhere along the way he had lost control, missing a signal from Jensen. Or maybe Jensen had gone far beyond Jared's intelligence and could now see into the future. How had he surpassed Jared in emotion and want? Canus were usually the ones with the ability to “sense” the mood of the human, or of the room itself. Jared goes to stand, rising enough to use the bed as a guide move upright, but one look toward Jensen and Jared's face contorts in pain, the scalp under his skin-fur going hot as if he, too, becomes embarrassed for Jensen.

Jensen had rolled to his side, quietly listening to Jared's grunts and quiet whimpers, then the audible gasps as the full reveal tells of a foolish belief that Jared could want him “that” way. He curls into a ball, arms tucked around his body to hold himself as he lets dried tears, and drying semen, go untouched. He wants to settle his emotions and feelings before he flips over and gets up to go hide in his bathroom. But Jensen distinctly hears a particular type of whimpering, the gentle nudging at his back with the slide of a furry face to press into the nape of his neck, then lay over his hair. Jensen knows what Jared wants, so he turns onto his back and looks into the shadowed hazel eyes that have darkened some because of dormant arousal. Jensen gives off a small saddened smile, closing his eyes as he feels Jared rub and soothe his face against Jensen's—the bandanna is removed, as well as the tank-t and, lastly, the soiled boxers. Jensen brings up his knees to lock legs and hide his come-cover pubic hair, tucking cock and balls between his thighs, but Jared nudges him to keep his legs down, spread wide a little.

Jared returns to Jensen's face, sliding their cheeks together on both sides; he laps his rough tongue at the trail of dried tears, sending paws to use the soft pads to brush back the long, inky black hair from the pale forehead. Jared tugs at the Canus collar with one finger, then clamps a hand over the Canus bracelet. He becomes enraged again, but pushes aside his quick reaction; he'll let Jensen know he has no reason to feel shame or guilt over his body's need to release...to feel. Once that reassurance is out-of-the-way, Jared knows he can tackle the bigger issues.

Reluctantly he pulls away, squatting to almost rise then pats the empty side of Jensen's mattress; he's ordering Jensen to get on the bed. Jared finally stands to make his way into the bathroom. He turns on scalding hot water, soaks a washcloth and douses the material with hand-soap, throwing a hand-towel over one shoulder on his way out. He walks into the bedroom, nearing Jensen's bedside and has to take a moment to catch his breath. It strikes him instantly that knows this would be ** _it_** for him—this will be what he wants for the rest of his life, for however long his lifespan has been shortened. This is going to be his life, because this is his life companion of choice. Jared swallows nervously, trying not to show claws as he unbends Jensen's legs, taking each one into his paws. Using the moistened cloth, he washes around the bends and folds of upper thigh to groin, doing the same with the right leg, then he scrubs the pubic hair and along the pelvic bone. Lastly, he wraps the flaccid cock and balls in one grip, cleaning off dried come and the stickiness. He swats Jensen to part his legs on the inner thighs, so he can wipe down under the ball-sac and along the perineum, just skimming the opening of the filled hole.

Putting the washcloth over his paw, Jared under-cups the area and settles his other paw to lay flat on Jensen's abdomen. “Push it out.”

Jensen would've gotten hard, or at least turned on, if every action prior hadn't been so detached and clinical. He had expected Jared to wash him with his tongue, like he had the tears, but he knows this is possibly a small punishment for his mistakes. He had overstepped too many boundaries and put Jared in a compromising position; Canus men treated their mates with the same respect and affection they gave their Masters and their Master's families. It's on Jensen's lips to give a human verbal apology, but it's moot—Jared understands a higher level of communication. Jensen only wants forgiveness...and love, but only love from Jared.

Jared thinks Jensen is hesitant because he's being stubborn, so his reaction to the long wait is a bit more Alpha than Jensen is used to. “You put it in, you push it out.”

Jensen lifts both legs, grabbing the backs of his thighs and bears down, contracting the walls of his rectum. The tiny Canus plug falls out with a “pop” and exits with some coating of anal juices and watery lube. The ridged edges manage to rub over Jensen's sweet spot so he cries out, whimpering as he bites his lips to turn his face away in another round of shame and embarrassment. Jared does wipe away the excess, drying Jensen off with the hand-towel. He stands to carry both cloth and towel to the dirty laundry basket, but not before he drops the plug in the sink to soak. He walks back over to Jensen, turns off the bedside lamp and pulls the covers upward to tuck Jensen in. Jared swivels his back on Jensen and begins to deflate and pack the mat into its stored position, so it can fit into the case.

Jared wastes time refolding the mat, putting it into the closet, making his way over to the empty side of Jensen's bed. The Queen-sized mattress allows Jared to sit more comfortably without his long legs having to dangle to the floor—like they would on a child's Twin bed. He can see Jensen's half-hidden face, the tips of his eyebrows and those long curling lashes. He can tell Jensen is awake and thinking; Jared simply waits for Jensen to know how he should react to begin to seek forgiveness. Jared does have a small fear he may have to wait all night, so he gives Jensen a reprieve by reaching over with his right paw and latching onto a leg under the thick comforter. He starts to soothe up and down, like petting to reassure he isn't as angry as he seems. This causes Jensen to release a dry sob as he fidgets and moves.

And just like his baby sister, Jensen jumps out from under covers to crawl on hands and knees to climb onto Jared's lap. Where Mackenzie's tiny body fit on the stretch of Jared's thighs, Jensen immediately drapes over the legs, then curls his growing body—naked—around Jared's frame. Jensen's head lays on Jared's left knee and his torso's side settles across the right thigh with his legs bent and drawn to his chest to lock at Jared's back. Jared waits for Jensen to go still, to get comfy and calm, almost sleepy, then he bends over to slide and nudge his furry cheeks against Jensen's exposed cheek. One paw—the left—begins combing, the soft scratching at the scalp while the other paw rubs and soothes down the curve of the spine.

There isn't an inch of clothing between Jared's caresses and Jensen's body, which is exactly what young 'pups' need when they seek love and approval from their father or mother. It's also highly important between mated couples, and with ones who aren't...it becomes a type of fetish exchange as it tends to bring the Canus back to those moments in childhood. The action is a sign of vulnerability and openness, a willingness to share every bit of the soul with who you want to mate with. Jared leans forward again to bury his face in the crook of Jensen's neck. He purrs, then whimpers once Jensen shifts to offer out his throat, a stretch of skin to softly bite, to claim. Instead, Jared just rubs, soothes and licks until Jensen is limp, laying on top of him.

They are beyond the apology, ruminating in forgiveness, but now Jared's ready for the next step. He lifts Jensen off his legs to set him on the tangle of sheets, then proceeds to take off his long-sleeved V-neck, exposing his entire furry torso; Jensen opens his eyes, green gaze zeroing in on darkening hazel gazing intently at him. Jensen stretches out his arm to wiggle his fingers toward Jared, who gets to his knees and crawls toward Jensen. He takes Jensen's hand, threading their fingers as one, then brings the bond to his furry cheek. It's the beginning of their usual bonding moment at night before bed.

It's their own ritual created the evening Jared had returned to the Ackles home after recovering from the shooting. Jared hadn't been as furry as he was now; the sleek skin-fur showed a more human Canus than the canine he appears to be now. Jensen had feared Jared dying every time he left him at the Canus clinic. The minute Jared had felt that fear wafting off Jensen, he had begun this routine for a simple reassurance of life...of love...and a deep bond with the young boy who had been 12, almost turning 13. As Jensen has grown older, they feel more inclined to strip naked, sometimes keeping some clothing on in case of being caught.

They would lay close—like now—arms tucked and bodies huddled around themselves so they couldn't use hands, only their faces and parts of exposed skin. They don't kiss—in fact, they've never kissed on the lips. They only rub their cheeks together: one would initiate the start of the rub-down, then the other would follow, each taking turns. They would entangle and roll around in bed, eventually keeping their bodies in close contact with their legs locked and ankles tangled.

Jared is the one initiating this time, riding high along Jensen's body as he starts at the top of his head. This feels like such a natural and instinctive reaction to perform, showing Jensen his love and affection, how devoted he is to all comforts and desires. Jared senses a stirring of his cock under the sheath, but knows he'll never show—the dose of suppressants had been strong. He smooths down Jensen's throat, over collarbone and upper chest, alternating his cheeks. Jensen curls into him, rolling off his back; this is his erogenous zone, especially when Jared is covered in the thicker skin-fur. Jared trades chest for cheeks, then rubs cheeks over hair and nape. Using his bared teeth, Jared unsnaps the ridiculous Canus collar; he jerks his head and spits the offending “jewelry” out. If Jensen wants to be owned...be submissive, he'll put him through his own training, giving him an honorary collar, bracelet or dog tags...if he so desires.

Jensen lets out a shocked breath because this is yet another show from the usually docile Jared of being the lead Alpha. He closes his eyes as he feels Jared's body move lower to curve over his ass and the backs of his thighs. There's still a lingering scent of Jensen's spunk that causes a knee-jerk reaction from Jared calling out in Canus dialect the very word he keeps secret in his heart.

“ _...mai'chqa...mai'chqa...mai'chqa..._ ”

 **_Mine._ **

**== &&==&&==**   
**TBC...**


	4. Chapter 4

Jensen wakes up alone and a bit unsettled. He's not truly afraid, but he's uncomfortable. Without the reassurance of waking in Jared's arms, simply laying next to him or curled toward him, huddled to his side with an arm or leg trapping Jensen down, there's a sensation of grief laying dormant for that one day Jared would leave. He lays on his stomach, still completely naked and positioned facedown into the mattress. Sometime during the night the both of them, or just Jensen, had crawled under layers of covers for added warmth. Or Jared might have known how cold and bereft Jensen would be once he left the bed to begin the daily routine.

 _oh, yeah...right..._ Jensen burrows into his pillows as he groans out his agony, reality dawning anew. It's a week day and Jensen has to go to school in a few hours. He rolls onto his back, arm tucked under a pillow, pondering those Canus mating stories where some are bred out at the same age Jensen is. They were tutored or home-schooled, sent out to training to be a better mate to their Alphas. It was considered Canus “puberty” as many often hit their strongest heats around this time, when they were most fertile.

Jensen closes his eyes, actually moaning at the pure fantastical idea of what his life could be like had he been a true chosen mate—another Canus—to Jared. How his hole would swell and moisten at the mere scent and heat of his Alpha, then aroused to such a state of impending bedlam when his Alpha came near. _...god..._ Jensen's own sphincter works, anal muscles contracting at the thought of being taken, of constantly being mated to breed...his anal cavity filling with his Alpha's seed as his bodily juices release a _...fffuuuccckkk..._

Jensen doesn't know what to do first—finger his hole or stroke his semi-hard cock, to reach an orgasm. All he does know is that if he humps the bed or jacks himself off, it would be another bout of patheticness that causes him to feel weirdly alienated—too Canus-like to be liked by humans, too human to be a true Canus. Masturbating solo would only remind him of those solitary moments of the past week-and-a-half. He flips off his back to venture over to where Jared's warmth had vacated earlier. There's thick dark hairs coating pillows and bed sheets, and there's a lingering familiar scent that churns Jensen's belly. Most humans would think that the remnants left behind by a Canus would be disgusting. For Jensen, it's yet another thing that turns his crank about Jared or the fact he is beginning to have deep, grounded feeling for a Canus.

He throws off the covers and hops on his ass across to the other side of the mattress. Jensen peers at his nightstand, opening the drawers in curiosity to shut them closed in frustration. What a difference it is knowing Jared is home; he doesn't even feel the same pressure to grab the lube and a butt plug to work on himself here in bed or in the bathroom. He does glance down at his half-hard cock, sighing heavily as he rubs over both eyes. He doesn't see the point of orgasming without Jared present. Odd...seven days filled with random ideas of how perverted he could let his mind wander, and suddenly, in only a few hours of Jared being back, he's the same horny, unfulfilled teenager he's always been. Jensen doesn't know who the hell he had tried to be while Jared was gone; he simply knows he never wants to be that “kid” again.

He combs fingers through the flat, somewhat oily longish hair—when it's not in a fauxhawk, the strands tend to hang over the tips of his ears and along his neck and nape. He had immediately despised the dye job he had given himself, but the store didn't have colors darker than black. Jensen can't explain it, those feelings he had carried with him. He had thought he'd be better; he had thought he would be capable of letting Jared have that Canus life as his own, but he can't help wanting to be “let in”. The longer Jared was with him, coupled with how near-to-mating they had been becoming over the last few weeks, Jensen found himself irrationally jealous and deeply somber. It wasn't even that the kids at school teased him for being a freak or a weirdo, that he had a boy-crush on his Daddy's CAG guard. Jensen had been over that pettiness and into coming to terms with always being more mature than other kids his age. They would never understand that he was in love with Jared, not in some silly infatuated state, like a dweeby, dumb virgin.

Jensen smooths one hand over his face, leaning back with arms extended to brace his body as he tries to wish his erection to lay flaccid so he can walk and go into the shower stall. His bed, and his own body, are covered in Jared's scent—some of the dark skin-fur too—and there's just no way to escape arousal unless he walks away from the area. Jensen pushes upright to stomp softly around the room, collecting underwear and an undershirt. Jensen moves to his closet, pulling out his trademark jeans, but he feels less like his usual self and he wants to look nice and casual for school, not...teenage-y. He selects a long-sleeved Henley, the color of oatmeal, then deposits both hangers on the hook from the back of the closet door. He sinks low to his knees, digging around in the mess on the floor to find those barely-worn suede loafers he knows he has—his mother sent him a pair last year for his birthday.

Once he has everything to create an outfit, Jensen carries the stack to the end of the bed. He drops his briefs and t-shirt momentarily, because he wants to stand back and admire the “look” he's designed, and he absentmindedly strokes his length to the right, in his right palm. It's only a nervous reaction, not a real attempt to masturbate.

Just as he gathers clothing to take with him to the bath, he hears the familiar _cling-clang-cling_ of metal chains. It's the first time Jensen notices his windows have been open. With his hand covering his bare length, he squats in front of the sheer curtains to peek between the murky material.

Jensen's bedroom happens to look out onto the side-yard and partial backyard of the Ackles home. Most importantly he has prime view of the small CAG training area that had been built for the Canus guards in back of their own house. It's a dome-shaped building, the flooring is a flat surface that acts like a trampoline. The practice ring is fully encased in a wall of stiffened, galvanized steel chain links. It's like the guards practice like they're in a massive dog cage, looking very similar to the rings used in MMA fighting matches.

Canus fight and train in this tight containment because the levels of testosterone released cannot stop them from harming any “innocents” [ _people Canus refer to as “human” or “human-like” ; can be other Canus who are weaker_ ] outside the boundary of the cages. Jensen catches that familiar whiff of scent and he's momentarily gripped into arousal, but he knows if he opens his eyes _who_ he wants to be in the ring, but won't be. He's stuck in the memory of long ago, when he used to watch Jared fight in his practice matches from this _very_ window, inside that _exact_ cage...how Jared would walk around the house, wearing those cuts and bruises like badges of courage. But when Jensen would draw near, or try to touch the severe injuries, Jared would lean into his caress as if it was the very salve needed to heal his pain...

==&&==&&==&&==

Christian is poised high on the wall of chain links, almost hanging upside down as he waits for his prey—his sparring partners—to slam their collective heads together and offer him more of a challenge. He's panting heavy and sweating profusely—he's also eyeballing poor Chad on the sidelines outside the cage. The young Canus guard never fails to always be concerned for Christian's safety, even though the smaller Alpha Canus has proven too often that he's spry and powerful, just in a compacted size.

Thomas is just as sweaty and heavily breathing as Christian, but he's on his feet, legs in a wide stance to attack with his claws out as if to cause his attacker some damage. Except...he keeps losing Michael's attention, so he actually has to do these mock-combat scenarios _alone_ with his fellow Canus guard who acts like a wild animal from the jungle. He's stunned that Christian can hang for that long off the links. He side-eyes Michael, wondering why he continues to lose his tag team partner.

“... _yo_ , Michael...you ' _in_ ' this or not?”

Michael only seems to have eyes for the bay of windows across from the Ackles backyard. As his hormone levels jump, so do his five senses. He picks up the human scent...the telltale sign of an innocent—and he locks his gaze on the tight, young—very naked and very erect—body of the middle Ackles child...Jensen, was his name. “Jared is one helluva lucky sonuvabitch.” He mumbles, growling out as he licks his lips, resting his head on the forearm braced on the wall of chain links. His claws are extended from his fingertips as they curl into the links to curb his elevating sexual arousal. “...that is one fine piece of ass I wouldn't mind pounding into.”

Just when Thomas should have followed through on his stance to protect himself, he had been too caught up in his fellow Canus' sighting, and Christian saw a prime opportunity to pounce on top of the much larger guard, successfully pinning him to the floormat. Christian has Thomas in a headlock with one of his legs bent backward.

Chad runs over to use a stopwatch, then counts down from ten to declare Christian the victor in this match too. “ ** _TIME! 3 to 1!_** ”

Christian deftly rolls away to quickly stand, then lay his back against the wall, looking down to where Chad stands nearby. He smiles at the adoring look gazing up at him, feeling the tingle in his body as his calf is grabbed and squeezed in affection. With high levels of testosterone pumping, he feels his eyesight momentarily blur, then he sinks to drop down on his ass as he scents Chad, seeming to want to drink _him_ in. Chad is there for him, with a water bottle of an electrolyte-filled drink and a towel to wipe away sweat.

Chad returns the smile to Christian, but when he hands over the small hand-towel, the Alpha pulls him flush with the cage. His forehead pushes against the chain links and he inhales Chad's scent. “...walk away, Chad...if you know wha's good for you.” He doesn't want to feel guilt, or be responsible, for his instinctive reactions that could hurt or harm Chad.

Chad is only a little scared. Outside the cage, Christian rarely shows his true Alpha to him. He's not dumb, he knows it's a misplaced arousal brought on by erratic hormonal changes. He reaches through the links to tenderly caress over the furry cheek with his paw pads. “...you are wha's good for me, Chris...” Chad quirks one side of his mouth. “I should go tend to Thomas.” He takes off across the grass to the other side of the cage where the pretty Canus guard has crawled to. Chad is a little less gentle with Thomas, throwing him the bottle and then leaving the towel tucked through the chain links. He debates whether Michael really needs his attention. Just because he _is_ curious, Chad glances up and follows the older Canus guard's eyeline, where he hasn't stopped staring. “ _...ooo..._ has he been naked, and jerking, all this time?” Though Chad may lack a very important characteristics to be considered a real CAG cadet, his eyesight is flawless, having been a perfect 20/20 since birth and one of the reasons why he was chosen to work in surveillance.

Instead of remaining in their “cool-down” modes, Thomas and Christian bounce upright from the floormat to where Michael stands.

Michael's arm is still propped against the wall of links, but he has dropped his other hand to rub over his sheathed cock underneath his Lycra fighting bodysuit. He can sense the increased blood flow and instant throbbing, the tip randomly peeking out to leak pre-come. “... _bor'grach...”_ [ _used affectionately during sex/knotting to call a mate a “whore” ; a slang term meaning “cockslut”_ ] He mutters out like he's using a small affectionate term to a lover or mate.

Christian scents Michael intense arousal first, looking over and down to find the growing lump under the tight bodysuit. “ _...awww...jesus, man..._ keep it underneath, is all I ask.”

Thomas had been staring up with wide eyes and slack jaw, then glances over at Michael, eventually down to see how blatantly Michael rubs over his elongating erection in plain sight. “ _...dude..._ did the Ackles spawn give you a stiffy?”

“Shut it, Thomas.”

“Wanna ' _make_ ' me shut it, Michael?”

Alpha tries to butt against Alpha, but Michael is merely forced, face-first, against the wall of chain links. He bites down to squelch his cry of arousal, then uses the hand he almost jacked with to push at Thomas. “You don't want me when I'm like this, Tommy...”

“Oh? Is that a threat...Mikey?” Thomas throws off the silly nickname to pay Michael back for his jab.

“Take it however you want.” Michael looks up to find Jensen is gone. “ ** _You asshole!_** ” He twists to shove at Thomas harder than normal, tripping him to fall to the floormat with a hard bounce. Michael moves around, trying to balance himself, to where he can see Chad. “ _...gimme my shit, runt!_ ”

Chad holds both towel and bottle away, feeling the safety of Michael being caged, away from him. “Say ' _please_ '.”

Michael drops to his knees, his pelvis jutting out as he reaches, quite rudely, through the chain links. “...suck my cock, you little bitch...”

Christian feels the need, the want, to run to Chad's defense, but there's a curious look to the young Canus guard's eyes. He waits.

“My momma told me to never put anything that small in my mouth, 'cuz...I might swallow it.” Chad walks off proudly, holding bottle and towel hostage until Michael apologizes. He won't be letting the Alpha out of the cage until he does. Chad has all the power now.

Christian softly chuckles behind his own bottle as he moves to lend a hand down to Thomas who's still laying on his back in shock by how Michael had jumped on him for a piece of human flesh that could never be his to take. Christian secretly glances back at those windows and ponders if he should warn Jared or just write the moment off as a random happening of Michael's Alpha absurdity.

==&&==&&==&&==

Jensen wanders out of his bedroom, backpack slung over a shoulder, backwards baseball cap on his head and wearing one ear-bud dangling out of an ear. He contemplates which direction to take the second floor hall, deciding to turn down the side where he can catch the back staircase, leading him directly to the kitchen. The minute he reaches the last few steps, he hears, and smells, the activity going on in the monstrously huge Chef's kitchen. Jensen bypasses the open doorway to Jared's bedroom, but does peek in—a small smile growing off one side of his mouth. He is tempted to run inside, to sniff around the entire space or to search for some tiny lover's trinket he can carry with him to keep, reminding him of Jared.

He had read about how Canus mates relied heavily on their senses and that if they were far apart for too long, both would ache, or agonize, in shared pain. So some Canus often “gifted” their mates with their own possessions—something that carried their scent. Jensen had wished he could actually feel relief from the heartache as easily as a Canus could. Even now he's still reeling from the day Jared had called to say he would be staying in Canus District a few more days. He is pretty sure this was **_it_** —the moment he had dreaded happening—the day Jared would feel a stronger draw to return back home...his _real_ home. And Jensen would be stuck _here_ , existing in a lifeless, colorless and loveless bubble without Jared. He causes himself to whimper as he enters the kitchen from the short corridor, off of Jared's room.

It was only a sharp intake of breath with a tiny stilted sob attached; Jensen can physically “see” Jared, and he isn't _in_ Canus District, but _here_...playfully attentive to Mackenzie while he goes about cooking breakfast at the stove. Jensen lets his bag slide down his arm to drop to the floor. He takes a few minutes to stare at Jared and his baby sister, from the end of the counter. He envies Mackenzie, that free ability to be openly affectionate to Jared, while the Canus could turn right around, unafraid to return the natural love he feels for the human child.

Little did Jensen know that, for a while now, Jared had become more clingy with Mackenzie because she continued to remind him of Jensen. That same tuft of blonde hair, that angelic face kissed by God himself and this ability to drop him to his knees with one look from striking eyes—Jensen's were pure green, but Mackenzie's was a blending of greens and blues. If this world were the fantasy of his heart, Mackenzie would truly be their 'pup'—Jared as Alpha...Jensen as Beta or Omega. At the idea of being able to breed with Jensen, Jared nearly gives himself heart palpitations, face flushing under the skin-fur, but only because Mackenzie is with him, being the needed distraction to pull Jared's head out of his ass. To tell him to stop daydreaming and perform his duty as caretaker and companion.

Jared notices Jensen, dropping his gaze hurriedly in an instinctive form of submission or shyness. He hates how he has to turn his back on Jensen, sweeping Mackenzie off the counter with one arm. Ever since he had left Jensen's bed to go wake the little girl, she had been oddly loving and affectionate, to such an intense level. So much more than usual that Jared has grown concerned. He thinks it might be the same situation that Jensen had gone through, but Mackenzie isn't in any way convinced that Jared was staying, and that he won't leave again. Jared adjusts her on his hip, but she keeps nuzzling his neck to hide her face away in his mutton-chops; she pet him with her tiny fingers, almost coming close to scratching his scalp underneath.

Jared gives a look of desperation to Jensen as he says, “...could you finish making the plates.” It's not a question, but a gentle request to help. Jared rubs over Mackenzie's back as he rocks her, then starts moving around the kitchen floor, sometimes leaning back on the counter ledge.

“...yeah, I can.” Jensen will obey Jared, whatever he asks of him. It's as he brings over the pans to the two plates that he frowns toward Jared pacing in front of him. “Wha's wrong with Mack?”

“Don't know. She's been like this since she got up. Tough to get her out of bed.” Jared coos in her ear as he gets her to settle down and stop fidgeting. He blinks slow to raise his gaze to Jensen's own wide-eye green ones. “For the first time, it was awful getting her to do what I wanted with all— _this_.” He motions to how weirdly affectionate the little girl is being.

“Was she like _this_ when you tucked her in last night?”

Jared shakes his head, leaning his cheek against Mackenzie's blond ringlets. “She _is_ warm, but not feverish and she...” He feels the tiny body go limp on him so he drops his voice to a whisper. “—she does this and practically knocks herself out.” Jared gestures with his head for Jensen to carry the plates to the breakfast nook table. With only the use of one hand, he tries to start bringing the utensils and glasses of milk and juice he had set out on the island counter where the siblings usually sit for their morning meals. Jensen quickly returns to brush Jared out-of-the-way so he can finish the task.

“Go sit down with her. I'll bring everything over, and I'll clean up a little.”

Jared laughs with a sigh of relief. He wants to openly kiss Jensen for taking over and helping him. He sits down on a chair, at the left of Jensen's seat, and he tries to gently wake Mackenzie so she can eat. She sees nothing wrong with acting like a baby in need of being cradled. So that's what Jared does to appease her, holding Mackenzie like he had when she had been first born. He can't deny her anything when she softly calls out to him, “ _...oshla...oshla..._ ” then bats the trademark long Ackles lashes at him, softening him to do her bidding. He'll attempt to feed her from this position; thankfully, it's mostly finger foods: bacons strips, buttered and jellied toast slices and her favorite French toast sticks. Every few bites, Jared gets her to drink her juice, sitting up a little.

Jensen watches in envious fascination. He wishes his bond with Jared had started from birth. But he wonders if so, would he have simply loved Jared like a father-figure and not like he does now as a viable mate—his fantasy lover. He looks to the entrance of the kitchen, wondering when Josh will trounce in.

Jared clears his throat as if on cue and states, “I hope you don't mind. I know it's the middle of the week, but I sent Josh off. I told him I'd drive you in with your sister for the rest of the week.”

As Jensen feeds his face with a triangle of buttered toast and some scrambled egg, he secretly grins with pleasure. “ _nah...nah,_ I don't mind.” He wipes a cloth napkin over his face, placing the material back on his lap. “The teachers are used to both of you. It'll be cool.”

Jared darts his gaze from Mackenzie to Jensen. “Why didn't you tell me those boys have started back to bullying you?”

“They don't ' _bully_ ' me, Jared. ” Jensen closes his eyes. He should've known Josh would tattle on him. “They jus' say stuff to get me to react. If I don't respond, I don't make them, or their words, matter.”

Jared shakes his head. That sounds too much like an old ancient Canus leader's opinion on how to calm violence: _use your head, not your hands_. Although Jared thinks using his own Canus paws with extended claws might do the trick. “I'll try one last tactic, but then I'm taking those boys names to the Principal. ” He would never intentionally harm any innocent, but nothing says he can't scare them into thinking he could. “We can throw your father's name around and get them to pay attention.”

“You think we should?” Jensen reacts bewildered to that kind of comment from Jared; he's not typically one who wants to abuse Alan Ackles name in such a manner. “I still have two years to go at this school. I'd like to _not_ rock the boat to where it becomes intolerable to go every morning. It's bad enough the kids know who my father is, and who you are...relating to him.”

“Did you tell them something about us?” Jared furrows his brow with some confusion because he doesn't know how kids Jensen age get their hands on information like that, unless it comes from their parents. “Did you say something to a fellow classmate? Or a, uh...maybe confided in a teacher or a counselor and then someone overheard...?”

Jensen stares at Jared, realizing that he doesn't understand how a teenage male mind sometimes works. “These boys are Seniors. It doesn't take much for them to see what they see, putting two and two together to get five.”

Jared softly chuckles, reaching out to tug on Jensen's ear, then soothes his knuckles along a soft cheek, barely growing a scruff of stubble. “Boys that age take everything to an extreme. I simply don't want to ignore the situation, having it escalate beyond my control.”

“Trust me...” Jensen leans into Jared's touch. He wishes he was older, bigger and stronger so Jared could honestly have faith in him, that he can take care of himself, and them if he will let him. “...it's not as bad as you think it is for me.” Jensen takes a hard swallow as he glances toward Jared, giving off a goofy smile. “Not when I know you'll be back in a few hours to take me home.”

Jared nods his head in acceptance, then looks down at Mackenzie as he rubs over her full belly. “All right, _pa'ia_...if you're done playing ' _baby_ ', I'll put you down to go finish getting ready.” He catches her dislike, then her quick roll toward his chest wall. “...oh, _pa'ia_...I know, I know...only a few hours and you'll be home again.” One arm holds her close to his body, while the other hand softly pats her bottom. “Don't make me order you to obey me, Mackenzie.” Jared speaks directly into her ear, watching as she huffs and puffs in near tears, with a pouting face, as she scoots down from his lap.

Jared and Jensen both eye her stomp out of the kitchen with a light chuckle in response. Jared sits forward to pick at the plate of food to finish off Mackenzie's meal.

Jensen shifts closer, dragging his chair with him as he smiles at Jared, his hand diving under the table to rub down Jared's thigh. “I didn't think we'd ever be alone.”

Jared gazes at Jensen, his lids low and lazy over his eyes. “ _...behave_.” He picks up the wayward hand to place it on top of the table where he can it. “Just because you don't see a soul doesn't mean we're truly alone.”

Jensen leans in, resting his cheek on the rounded joint of Jared's right shoulder. “I hate waking up without you there...missin' your warmth...your scent—though your smell lingers enough to arouse me...”

“I woke early, eager to start back to my routine...” Jared blinks slow, a smirk on his lips. “...but I did watch you sleeping in my arms for longer than I usually do.” He reaches out to caress, making a fist as he's scared he'll scratch or puncture flesh. He taps his fist on Jensen's chin. “You respond to my touch even in sleep. It's an addictive temptation not to keep touching until you wake fully and I can...” Jared stops speaking as he notices something has changed on Jensen, but he can't place it just yet.

Jensen closes his eyes, licking his lips wet. He bites his bottom lip as he raises his head. Hazel eyes narrow as Jared moves the arm Jensen is leaning on, the paw opens to brush off the back-snap of the baseball cap to reveal that Jensen's head is no longer covered in that long mane of inky black hair. There are two inches or more of an extremely buzzed cut Jensen has waxed to the point of fossilizing the follicles to sway in differing directions around his head. Even Jared's long nails combing through don't dislodge the style. “ _oh, yeah..._ I thought it was time to let the hair grow out again.”

“I like the trim, but hate the color.” Jared shakes his head as he rests on his own biceps. “ _What_ were you thinking?”

“I don't think I _was_ thinking.” Jensen snorts a laugh at himself. “Only missing you like crazy.”

“I missed you too.” Jared brushes a long paw pad over Jensen's sinful lips. “I can only take so much when I'm there.”

Jensen scoots closer, hand soothing over Jared's hunched back. “I love having you home but I hate what that place does to you.”

“Don't let it make you hate Canus District.” Jared can feel his body want to lean in the curve of Jensen chest wall as he body conforms around him. “It's truly a breathtaking place.”

“ _...mmm..._ next time you go, why don't you bring me?” Jensen only means it as a tease, but Jared's face actually looks like it wants to release a serious response. “I'm not—you don't have to —”

“ _Why not_?” Jared shrugs one shoulder, not finding any reason to refuse Jensen anything at the moment. He's been wanting to bring Jensen with him the last few times he's gone, the more close they become as mates.

Jensen is beyond stunned by Jared's calm response. “...you kiddin' me?” He thought for damn sure he would be laughed off an honest answer.

“No.” Jared folds his arms on the table and twists a little to face Jensen. “Your birthday is coming up soon...around the time of my next visit.”

“ _...jesus, Jared, uhhh..._ I'm finding it hard to make excuses.” Jensen turns away to think about what his school schedule looks like for holidays approaching. “I also have a break in school in a few weeks—Spring Break.”

Jared smiles with a lift of his chin as he nods. “That's around the time of the Canus...”

“... _Festivache du F'a...”_ [ _Festival of Five_ ] Jensen blushes from how impressed Jared looks at what he knows. “I wasn't _only_ reading about Canus sex, you know.”

Jared gives out a deep chuckle, nodding his head as he reaches out to bump arms with Jensen, keeping the limb there to make them touch. “I'll probably be asked to take part, somehow, in the festival.” He sits straighter in his chair, going on to explain, “...you'd be staying in my rooms at the CAG military barracks—in retired officer quarters. They require you to have a guide or a CAG officer at all times, just to be safe.” Jared makes a face to show how that won't matter much. “I'll be with you most of the time, unless I'm busy with my work or one of the projects I have going on when I'm there.”

“ _oh...mygod...”_ Jensen can't even believe what just happened. “Are we _really_ considering doing this— _for real_?”

Jared loves seeing the brightness in Jensen's eyes, the pure happiness pouring forth. He'd give anything to keep that expression on Jensen's face permanently. He shoves around to sit off the side of the seat, directly facing Jensen on the left. Jared nudges the side of the newly shorn locks, then rubs their faces together.

Jensen hesitates in bringing up his left arm, but he slides the hand, then forearm up Jared's chest until he curls the whole limp up and around the neck to pull their bodies flush. He easily jumps into Jared's lap, forcing Jared to nip and nuzzle his throat as he adjusts to sit on the flattened thighs. Jensen raises his other hand to palm the side of Jared's face, getting him to raise his chin. Hazel eyes are shut, but as Jensen brushes back the man of red-browns and blacks, he can't take his gaze off Jared's lips. With both hands, he shapes Jared's head, merging their brows as he nibbles delicately at the parting mouth. He licks with the barest hint of tongue, but then he closes his own lips to apply harder, and deeper, pressure.

It's Jared's first kiss and...though he doesn't like how expertly Jensen attacks his mouth, he loves the feel of the wet softness...the roughness of tongue to the gnash of teeth trying to bite sensitive flesh. He wonders if Canus couples bother to add this kind of step to their intimacy while mating, because he is _definitely_ feeling a tinge of arousal deep within his gut. Jared supposes it wasn't _only_ the kissing, but the fact it's Jensen...those hands, that hesitant, yet tender caressing, and that musky scent of store-bought cologne...and ultimately horny male human...

Jared has to force himself to break them apart, not aware how his hand has slunk up Jensen's back to grapple and yank at the shorter hairs, or how his other hand has been cupping the side of the long pale neck, nailbeds pressed into fragile skin He can hear Jensen heavily breathing above his ear, both of them leaning weakly against the other.

They both speak to one another mere inches from the other's mouth.

“ _...christ...that was...”_

“ _...not something we should do in the kitchen, or out in the open..._ ”

Jensen grabs for Jared's paw on his neck, setting it down to trail it along his chest to press against the hard, throbbing mound under denim. “...I'm so hard right now...”

“...you're hot to my touch...” Jared is too dumbfounded to know what to do, because he doesn't want to make Jensen any later for school.

With no response from Jared, Jensen twists and turns his body into Jared's hold. “...don' worry...I'll be fine...jus' lemme stay—keep me close for a while...” He flips his head to lay in the opposite direction of Jared's face, placing his cheek on a broad shoulder. “Think this would be any easier if I were Canus?”

“...no, no...I don't believe so. ” Jared is forced to leap out of his trance, stuttering out a laugh. “We would only have a whole set of new, but different problems to tackle.” He twines his fingers with one of Jensen's hands. “You're a bit too big for me to cradle like Mackenzie.”

“I's okay...i's all right.” Jensen gives off a fake pout, but uses his face to disguise real feelings about that thought. “I don't think I need you like that.”

“Speaking of...” Jared makes a sound to clear his throat, attempting to glance over his shoulder to see if he can view one of the kitchen entrances from where he's seated. “I should really check on your sister. Make sure she's done what I ask and is ready to go.”

“A little longer _...please..._ then I'll release you.” Jensen doesn't want to beg, but he feels like he hasn't had enough time with Jared before he has to leave him again.

“...of course-of course...” Jared softens his tone, holding Jensen tighter to his frame as he soothes over the hunched back in a calming rhythm.

==&&==&&==&&==

Jensen is cleaning the table, having wiped off and stored every breakfast dish used in the sink. He lifts his bag, pulling out his MP3 player from his back pocket to store away in his school bag. On the drives into school, he had liked sitting up front, on the passenger side, so he could talk with Jared; Mackenzie would be in her child safety-seat in the rear middle benchseat of the SUV seated behind her brother. Jared had liked having the little girl in his view so he could reach out with his long arm. Jensen is about to walk out of the kitchen, strolling to the front foyer to get his coat, but as he heads down the long corridor to the front door, he catches Jared bolting down the staircase.

Immediately, Jensen throws off his backpack straps. “Wha's wrong? What is it?”

“ _...I don't know..._ ” Jared seems unusually frantic and wide-eyed, like he can't believe what he's just seen.

Jensen calmly approaches Jared, getting him to sit on the steps. “Where's Mack?”

“She's fine. She went back to sleep in her bed.”

“ _...oh-kayyy..._ so, why do you look so spooked?”

Jared combs through his wild mane of hair, rubbing his paws over his face fast. “...come on...follow me... I might need your help.”

That had been twice now that Jared had reached out to him for help. Jensen is a bit boastful, thinking Jared sees him as mature and worthy of stepping up to rescue him. He follows behind Jared as the Canus takes two steps at a time. They march along the hallway to the partly open door, Jared pushes on the paneling with five sharp nailbeds, letting Jensen enter as he shuts the door and locks the mechanism.

Jensen knows Jared only does that if he wants to be alone with him or something has to be kept secret from his father. He spins to look toward Mackenzie's low Twin bed, and he never fathoms finding his baby sister stark naked, curled into a fetal position in the center of the mattress. All her sheets and linens are piled around her like she has built herself a “nest”. “ _Wha—_? I don't understand.” He glances around, where the floor is covered in a trail of her clothing, right to her bed.

Jared shuffles to stand next to Jensen, paws on his hips as he carefully eyeballs the slumbering child, who looks as if she's having trouble breathing. She's not; it's simply labored breathing during heavy sleep. “Neither did I until I actually touched her...noticing that it's not a fever-sheen on her skin.”

Jensen nears the bedframe, leaning over to grab the tiny ankle, gently straightening the limb. The flesh feels softer than usual and, in the shards of fractured daylight, he can detect a glow of fine, silky hairs. Finer at this very moment, but eventually will turn into the thick coat of Canus skin-fur. “ _...oh...my...gawd..._ ” Jensen contains his want to cry out, or scream, as he holds Mackenzie's foot in his hand, discovering how the ankle has darkened, going from pale brown into a near dark brown over the top of her tiny foot; there's a fine rough sandpapery feel to the sole of her foot as well. “ _...she's Canus?_ ” His voice cracks with shock as he takes a spot on the end of her mattress.

Jared joins him on the bed, sitting closer to Mackenzie's head. “She has to be half-human...half-Canus. Her Canus father being the _dominant_ gene.” He's on a train of thought that Donna Ackles may have carried on with a Canus male in her work outside of the country.

“Why now?” Jensen frowns deeply as he stares down in stunned shock. “Why not, like, when she was born?”

Jared can detect that Jensen is a bit numb from his sudden shock. He's not certain how to deal with the news either. “This is about the right age, if she had to change over to show her dominant DNA. The Canus-human 'pups' react differently in each situation.” Jared stares down at the blonde curls, his paw stretching out to brush over the mass of curls. “Mackenzie's must've been dormant, until this very moment.”

Jensen furrows his brow, trying to cover his sister's nudity with a flat sheet. “Can we _not_ dress her or, uhm...something?” Even if she's more comfortable like this, he sure isn't.

Slowly, Jared raises his head, almost as if he's determined never to leave Mackenzie's side. “She undressed herself for a reason, Jensen. If it's too much for you to deal with...” He hates thinking the worst of Jensen, but if he can't deal then Jared will let him go. “...I can do this by myself.” Jared isn't sure how he'll be, going this alone, but he'll muster through. “...but you have to understand, I _can't_ leave your sister, and I _won't_ be taking her to preschool.” He trying to tell Jensen something without coming right out and telling him. “You can go back to your room, and I'll have one of the other CAG guards drive you in.”

Jensen is a little flustered from Jared's sudden turnaround of thinking him immature, unable to step up to the plate and help him. “ _...nonono..._ I'm sorry.” He realizes that adults tend to have to work on the fly, making snap decisions over quick judgments and there's no such thing as time. It's all relative. There is no right or wrong answer, there's just...do. “I'll stay. I jus'...I'm freaked, is all.” Jensen hates thinking Jared assumes he was trying to back out, when he was only trying to digest.

“ _...hey-hey..._ it's all right.” Jared reaches out to gently lay a paw on Jensen's knee. He figures he better start explaining what Mackenzie is doing for Jensen's benefit. “She's only reacting instinctively. I'm sure she was overheating or feeling the clothes were itching her skin-fur coming in.”

 ** _“...ohgod!_** ” Jensen slams a hand over half of his face.

“What?!” Jared is startled by the outburst; he glances around then back to Jensen.

“I jus' realized what _this_ means.” Jensen drops his hand to stare across at Jared. “...my mother had an affair over there, wherever she worked when she got pregnant.” He looks down at Mackenzie, his mind wondering about a ton of things having to do with his mother.

Jared nods his head, but then he swishes his head from side-to-side to offer up another explanation. “...or, there was a young Canus who couldn't sustain caring for a 'pup'.” He lifts an eyebrow toward Jensen as if to scold him for thinking negative about his mother, even though Jared had, at first, done much the same. “Don't assume the worst about her, Jensen.”

Jensen wrinkles his brow, his brain thinking deep thoughts. “Mackenzie looks exactly like me, except she's a girl.” He quirks up one side of his mouth in a mock-grin. “There is no way my mother could luck out an' pick a 'pup' that appears to share similar coloring with Josh and I.”

Jared isn't sure he likes this gruffness in the sound of Jensen's voice as he talks about Donna. “Don't let your feelings toward her cloud how you feel, or think, about your sister.”

“ _...huh?_ ” Jensen is confused. He hadn't been looking at Jared, but he shook his head of muddle thoughts, then blinks to stare into Jared's face.

“Mackenzie is still your sister, no matter _who_ her biological parents are.” Jared wants it known, right now, he will not tolerate Jensen projecting any feelings not genuinely coming from his own heart toward Mackenzie.

Jensen snorts out a harsh laugh that manages to teeter off into thin air, as he doesn't think there's much of this moment that is funny. “You think I _wanna_ know my own mother slept around on my father? Besides...obviously, biology shouldn't factor in to who _really_ is Mack's mother or father.” He means that comment to have been for Jared—that Donna and Alan, or _whomever_...had been his sister's parent, but that when it came down to who _truly_ cared for and took care of Mackenzie...it would always be Jared.

Jared nods his head in agreement, still unsettled by what he had walked in on only minutes ago. He isn't even sure he has let it sink it at this point. His mind only wants to focus on making sure Mackenzie gets through this moment unscathed' no child...human or Canus, deserved this kind of fate they never asked for.

Mackenzie begins to groan and shift, curling further into herself.

Jared hovers above, doing everything he can to soothe and reassure the little girl...now a Canus 'pup'. “ _...open your eyes, pa'ia...tell me if anything hurts you..._ ”

“ _...oshla?_ ” Mackenzie acts like she can hear his voice in the fogginess of her newly forming mind. She isn't able to see her brother right in front of her.

“ _...Mack..._ ” Jensen keeps still even though his sister startles from his voice being so near. “ _...i's Jen..._ ” He extends a hand to touch her with only fingertips. “ _...open your eyes for us, Mack..._ ”

“ _...Jen?_ ” Mackenzie widens her eyes to stare into her brother's face. She reaches out for him, almost uncurling herself to approach him. “ _I don' feel so good..._ ” Her voice is wobbly, her blinking response is languid, making her look as if she's drunk or high.

“ _...pa'ia, please..._ ” Jared is near to being desperate for Mackenzie to talk to him, or at least to acknowledge she hears him. “... _talk to me...tell me how you feel._ ”

Mackenzie wants to sleep like the dead, right where she lay, stretched between her brother and Jared.

Jensen takes that tiny hand extended toward him, petting over the newly-forming skin-fur to bring the hand to his lips to kiss. “Is she supposed to feel _this_ hot?” He sets the back of one hand over her brow, intermittently patting down the nude frame to check just how far the radiating heat goes.

Jared puts his own hand to the brow, quick to sweep Mackenzie into his arms. “Come with me to the bathroom...we need to start keeping her fever down.”

Jensen toes off his shoes and slips out of his Henley as he trails behind Jared. “Is she in some kind of ' _heat_ '?” He darts in to turn the faucet knobs in the tub.

“No. Not this young.” Jared sits on the closed toilet lid, cradling Mackenzie. “Her body is trying to fight the 'change'.” He clears his throat a she looks around, and down his own body. “I need you to help me undress.”

“I can hold her, while you—” Jensen attempts to hold out his arm, but he pauses when Jared shakes his head.

“Better to leave her in my arms.” Jared toes his shoes off as Jensen kneels in front of him to get rid of his socks; Jared balances on one foot, then the other, quite effortlessly.

Jensen will be undoing every bit of Jared's hard work at hiding the thicker skin-furcoat from public view, until he got to the groomer. Jared keeps still, feeling shaky hands undo his leather belt, then the zipper of his Khaki trousers. Grabbing both trouser and underwear material, Jensen lowers everything as he squats to the floor; Jared steps out of the trouser legs. When Jensen returns to stand, he sees that Jared's already undone the top three buttons of his shirt. Jensen will have to do the rest, then unbutton the cuffs over the thick wrists. Before Jensen can admire Jared's beautiful Canus form, he's flashed an ample backside as Jared steps over the tub ledge, slowly lowering he and Mackenzie into the rising water level. Jared positions his body at the opposite end of the faucet spigot so he can lean back as far as he wants, cradling Mackenzie and scooping out water to bath her in as she starts to wake to shivering.

“... _ssshhh-ssshhh...pa'ia...oshla's here..._ ” Jared brings the crown of the blonde head to his cheek, then coos down into an ear.

Jensen had been perched on the toilet lid, now mesmerized by Jared's obvious love for Mackenzie, who is now, more than ever, truly connected to Jared in a way Jensen will never be. He wants to run screaming from the room, go sob his heart out into his pillow, but he can't help feeling like Jared is as stunned and shattered by this change of events. Jensen won't abandon Jared for his own selfish reasons, no matter how jealous he feels or how slowly his heart breaks. He rises to turn off the water, standing at the side of the tub. “ _...tell me what you need me to do._ ” Jensen is momentarily struck numb by the bloodshot look to Jared's eyes; his nose and upper cheeks are reddening as well. Jared appears to be taking the brunt of Mackenzie's own gut-wrenching agony. Like the fact that she _isn't_ Alan Ackles child—well, there's a slight possibility she still is or, like Jared said, a young Canus wasn't prepared to be a parent. He swallows hard, averting his head as he wants to cry for Jared now. ... _damn..._

“...uhm...get me a couple of towels, set them on the lid. Go to your room and get my sleeping mat from the closet. Set it up on the floor near her bed—wherever there's room.” Jared quickly swipes at his eyes, using palm and forearm. “—uh, try to see if one of the guards can drive you in for at least _half_ of your school day...”

Jensen is disquieted by what Jared says. “...won't you be needing me _all_ day?”

Jared gives out a sad smile, but he nods his head on a solid bounce as if trying to drive a difficult point home. “There's nothing I'd love more, Jensen, but I'm not ruining your schooling because of _this_.”

“...I don't mind.” Jensen truly doesn't mind; he wants it known he would do anything for Jared or Mackenzie.

“I _know_ you don't mind...” Jared really isn't intending to snap at Jensen, but he's not feeling quite himself at the moment. And he doesn't like looking this vulnerable in front of his mate. “...but I need you to remember that even though I tend to you...or watch over you—drive you into school...your father still keeps a close ' _eye_ ' on you.” He can't stop thinking about that damn P.I. Alan had hired to follow his own son. There's was no telling what that man—his Master—was capable of. “Any chance the school's office will alert him to your absence, when he knows nothing is wrong...”

“ _...oh-kayyy-sheesh...okay...got it_.” Holding up his hands in defeat, Jensen gruffly mumbles out his uncomfortable, and awkward, acceptance of Jared's request. “You don't need to drill it into my skull.” He angrily steps to the closet in the bathroom to yank down a stack of towels, then plops them on the closed lid right near Jared's shoulder. “...tell me if you need more when I return.”

Jared watches Jensen storm out of the bath, then hears the slam of the bedroom door. He can't take his mate witnessing his breakdown. He lowers Mackenzie into the lukewarm water—not too hot, not too cold, so as not to shock her body—settling her to conform to his chest wall, tucked between his thighs. He uses one of the towels as a pillow behind his head, then takes a washcloth out, soaking up tepid liquid to then squeeze the material over the newly forming skin-fur.

Even though he's tending to Mackenzie, Jared can't help thinking about Jensen, wondering the thoughts flowing through his mind.

==&&==&&==&&==  
 **TBC...**


	5. Chapter 5

Jensen climbs the main staircase, one last time, heading directly for his sister's bedroom. He doesn't know why he keeps returning to break his heart further. Watching Jared take care of Mackenzie, like a Canus father would, pulling her close, rubbing her back...the way his eyes mist and his face glows from her need of him—his warmth and scent. Jensen hates himself for how petty and jealous he's beginning to feel.

He catches Jared laying stretched out on the floor in his robe and slippers. Mackenzie is asleep on her belly on the sleeping mat; Jared is soothing over the slope of the deeply breathing back. Lucky for them, Mackenzie's body temperature never spiked beyond 99degrees; they had successfully warded off any sign of fever... _this_ time. And it has been a few hours since taking her out of the bath, pushing well-past noon. Just about the time Jensen would have been taking lunch at his high school.

Jared peers up at Jensen. “Do you have money?” He wants Jensen to eat something along the way if he hadn't made food in the kitchen.

“...uh, yup...I'll be fine.” Jensen plans on having the driver stop by his favorite burger joint—drive-thru, of course.

“Did you write the note?”

Jensen reaches into his back pocket to pull out the folded paper. “All _forged_ an' ready to go.”

Jared shakes his head, rolling to land on his elbows, pushing off the floor to stand. “I'm not sure how I feel knowing how well you copy your father's penmanship.” He steps close to peer down at the piece of paper Jensen is showing him; it's a very good likeness.

Jensen shrugs without a care, tucking the note back into the pocket. “No big deal. I only do it for stuff in school.”

“—still...you could get caught.” Jared plants his feet apart, foot pads solid to the ground as he folds his arms over his chest.

“...you can punish me later. I gotta get goin'.” Jensen is about to turn to leave, but pauses to twist around.

“ _...hey..._ ” Jared frowns, not sure why Jensen's acting so off-putting. “Who's driving you in?”

“Chad...” Jensen wrinkles his brow at the name, not certain he's ever met this Canus guard. “Have I met _Chad_ before?”

“No.” Jared shakes his head, unsure why he had this sudden needling sensation to refuse that Chad be the one to drive Jensen into school. It's odd because the young CAG officer is far from a Canus he has to watch out for—not like he has to with Michael or Thomas. “He mans the security cameras at night and he'll sometimes run errands for the other guards.” As he goes on explaining Chad's role in the guard staff, he realizes he has to say something about the obvious handicap that Jensen will see before even noticing how good-looking Chad is. “He's, uh...Chad's _special_.” Jared feels cruel, like he's trying to shoot down any possibility of Jensen ever liking Chad, even as a friend. “Not, like, he's—well, you'll notice his disability right off the bat.”

“But...” Jensen frowns in confusion. “...he's a _Canus guard_? And he's _CAG_?” He tilts his head, curious to how Chad slipped through the cracks and actually became a soldier.

“He is.” Jared nods his head once, his gaze shifting to look at the opposite wall, picking a spot to stare at. “It hasn't been an easy road for him. He's one of the newer Canus.” He scratches at his mutton chop; it still feels a little wet. “They have stronger _canine_ DNA like Michael and Thomas. He...” Jared takes a hard swallow as he crosses his arms behind his back, like a CAG soldier often does. It's a habit that's been hard for Jared to break. “...he came out of the womb with some difficulty, nearly killed his mother on the way out. He has a bone deformity in his pelvic and hip regions that physically impede his walking and running, so he's on _light_ duty.” He knows this is silly of him to add, but some humans, and Canus, automatically think Chad is “mentally retarded” when he says “handicapped” or “disabled”. “He's not sick or mentally deficient.”

“ _...jesus..._ ” Jensen mutters out with a severe furrow to his brow. Now he _wants_ to meet this “Chad”. “How the hell did he pass basic training?”

“He didn't. See...” Jared clears his throat as he brings around one hand to use as he talks. “Chad is an example of one of my projects back in Canus District. The test-tube and in-vitro births done today are often producing errors or mistakes in the Canus genetics that doctors won't see until birth, or later in the Canus' 'pup' or 'cub' years.” He slowly blinks, lifting heavy lids to stare at Jensen. “Unnatural creation of Canus life breeds malformations and...psychotic issues [ _like rabid Canus_ ]...newborns unable to battle against viral attacks to their weakened immune systems...”

“ _...christ..._ ” Jensen closes his eyes, then reopens them to stare hard at Jared. He had only thought the issues in Canus District were small and not-so-tragic sounding. “...it's like that book I'm reading— **A World Divided**...the dystopian canine one...”

Jared glares at Jensen from lowered lids. “...except _this_ is _real life_ , Jensen, not _fiction_. And Chad is merely the cusp of what I'm attempting to change.”

Jensen is a bit disquieted because he senses that there's something deep inside Jared wanting to be let out...like he'll utter the dreaded word “human”, placing blame on the shoulders of his mate's race. Except Jensen knows Jared isn't that one dimensional. He doesn't think of Jensen as “human” or as the culprit of the problems that now plague Canus society. Still can't stop Jensen from feeling hurt or slighted—one more thing that distances him from Jared.

“uh...I better go.” Jensen itches at his scalp, looking down at his sister. “Chad's probably waiting for me out front.” He raises his head only halfway to Jared as he bids him farewell.

But once Jensen takes the doorknob in his hand, Jared is directly behind him, arm raised above Jensen's head to shut the paneling. Jensen closes his eyes as he feels Jared's robe-ed body against him, that shock of intense warmth sliding up his legs and back, making him tingle all over.

Jared dips to inhale scent and take in heat, his paw grabs a shoulder to slide down the back, landing on a hip. “...you changed on me...we met one another halfway an' then you slammed it in reverse...what's going on, Jensen?” Lips press against the warm skin of the neck, then the nape, nudging the back of the hair. Jared slides his paw along the waist, slipping around the front to palm the lower abdomen. “...tell me what I've done to hurt you...”

“...I-I-I'm fine...” Jensen croaks out, softly pounding his forehead against the door.

“...don't lie to me. I can still sense the ' _chill_ ' coming off you.” Jared moves to be near an ear. “...you feeling neglected...all alone...like I've abandoned you for your sister?”

“ _...mmm...please...lemme go—gotta got to school..._ ” Jensen stumbles out in bursts as he feels Jared slowly twist him around to land on his back. He opens his lids to avert his gaze once he feels Jared caressing over the folded note in his pocket.

“...now, suddenly, you want to run from me to go to school...” Jared no longer tries to soothe a response out of Jensen. “...why, Jensen?” His voice sounds more curt and gruff.

“...I-I-I-I don't know...” Jensen slows his blinking down, to gaze up at Jared from under his lashes. “...guess I'm jealous...”

“ _Jealous? Of who?_ ” Jared wrinkles his brow, tilting his head in confusion, and slight curiosity. There's not many people around them for Jensen to be jealous of.

Jensen drops his eyes to his sister on the sleeping mat.

Jared follows Jensen's wide green gaze to where Mackenzie is fast asleep. “...of your _sister_?” He almost chokes on that last word.

Jensen nods his head, attempting to look away as he can feel the disappointment in Jared's body. “...she's really... _really an' truly_ , a part of you now. She's more family than I'll ever be. She's Canus...an' I'm **_not_**.” He exhales on a strangled moan as Jared undergrips his chin in his rough palm. “ _...please, don'..._ you wanted to know an' I told you...don' punish me 'cuz you don' like what you hear...” Jensen isn't sure what Jared plans on doing with him while holding his head. He's already getting hard as his anus throbs with the idea that he's weakening and becoming aroused enough to let Jared knot him against the door. He feels the slight leak of pre-come from his cocktip as Jared turns his face in an opposite direction as his own head lowers.

“...I cried because Mackenzie is a Canus...” Jared is barely an inch from Jensen's parting lips. “...and because... _you're_ ** _not_**. **”** Sometimes he hates how vulnerable Jensen makes him become, revealing one more layer of humanity that still remains underneath all that canine DNA. “I never think about a single one of you children without the other.”

Jensen squeezes his eyes shut, dipping in to take Jared's mouth roughly. With shaking hands, he reaches up fingers sliding through mutton-chops to tangle in clumps of triple-brown shaded locks, holding steady onto Jared as he begins to munch on the mouth and the surrounding skin. He shifts his legs to raise them along Jared's legs, hooking around the hips and waist.

Jared bends down to heft beneath Jensen's thighs so he's propped on the door paneling. “How could you think—” He pulls away, shaking his head as he cannot look away from those full and luscious wet lips that were just on his, pressing against him so passionately. “—why do you keep _doubting_ the way I feel about you?” He appears to be utterly saddened by the mixed signals Jensen sends him, but he forgets his mate is still, more or less, a hormonal teenager.

“I don't want to feel this way, but I do.” Jensen twists his head away in shame and self disgust. He wishes he weren't spread so broadly over the emotional spectrum. He knows that it's not Jared's fault; it's more likely that he's simply too naïve and innocent about love and relationships, having a “boyfriend”—one who's stuck looking like he's not a day over twenty-five. “You could tell me a thousand times how you feel...” Jensen shifts his hands to trace down the thick lapels of the robe, almost petting over the thick skin-fur popping out from the bare chest. “...an' that we're mates— _mated_...but...”

“I'm still Canus...” Jared burst out with as he averts his own head, making an under-breath moan as he leans in toward Jensen's breathing space. “...and you're still...' _human_ '...”

“ _...exactly..._ ” Jensen fiddles with the lapels, to bring them in tighter to cover the chest hair; he's tempted to stick his hand in and tug or pull, pet over the skin-fur like he typically would do in their bed. “ _...m'sorry..._ ”

“...don't—” Jared manages to balance Jensen with one arm and forcing him into the door, lifting his paw to press two fingers over those parted lips. He doesn't want to hear it anymore. “...don't apologize for feeling the way you do.”

Jensen pushes off the paneling to slide his arms around Jared's neck and shoulders, embracing him like he used to as a younger child being taken to his own bed, having had fallen asleep somewhere else in the house. “I don't like hurting you, but it's bound to happen.” He slides his face against Jared's mutton-chop and hair, tilting toward the softness.

The fact Jensen says those words clues Jared in that Jensen thinks the same of him. “...just like I'm unintentionally hurt you...” Jared isn't quite sure carrying Jensen like this will be the same, like when he was younger, but he puts forth a good effort: one arm under his bottom, while the other slides over mid-back. He's strong enough to walk around with Jensen's weight in his arms as he carries them to sit on the end of Mackenzie's bed. Jared eases down onto the mattress, pulling back to extend his arms behind him to brace his body as he allows Jensen to lean on him, laying against his chest. He loves watching his mate move and shift to find a comfy spot on him to rest a cheek down and close his eyes.

As he presses his left cheek on Jared's right shoulder, Jensen presses his brow into the side of Jared's neck. He feels the paw lift to brush over his shorn hair, then down his face like he's precious and adored. Jensen feels awful because it's as if Jared's mind is on rewind. “...I wanna be the _perfect_ mate.” He adjusts his head to slide his face into Jared's neck where only his mouth is exposed so he can talk and Jared can hear what he says. “I wanna be a _better_ mate for you...”

“You already are.” Jared mumbles out as he leans on Jensen's face. “You, honestly, are _exactly_ the way I want you to be. I don't want you to be Canus any more than you want me to be ' _human_ '.”

Jensen untucks an arm to knock one of Jared's elbows from under him, making him crumble backward onto the bed. He straddles Jared's waist and upper thighs, planting his palms flat to either side of Jared's torso. “I do like you the way you are...” He looks down at Jared who's now leaning back on forearms and elbows. “...beautiful and strong...” Jensen bends in to mesh their brows together, breathing hotly every word uttered toward Jared's face. “...loyal and honest...”

Jared blinks slow and languid, tilting off one elbow to reach up and use one finger-pad to trace over the soft, pale cheek to then dance across skin to the mouth. “...then, I guess we're at an impasse...” He wants another one of those kisses, but he knows that it'll only keep Jensen here longer, and he needs to get going to make it for at least a half-day of school. Able to levitate his upper body momentarily as he reaches out to grab Jensen's biceps, Jared gently forces Jensen backward so he's made to either fall to his knees on the floor or...he can brace himself on his feet, once planted on the floor and stand.

Jensen does the latter, staring down at Jared who extends his arms straight out again and leans on the mattress. Knees were spread wide as the robe drapes open between his skin-furred legs, Jensen bites down on his bottom lip as Jared crosses his ankles to close his legs together. “...now I _really_ gotta go to school.” He attempts to fix his clothes so they don't feel so tight or tucked in, though he knows he's obviously kind of hard and, maybe, a little achy around his backside. “I'm late being late.” Jensen busies himself by flipping his wrist to look at his watch as he walks back toward the doorway. He doesn't even notice Jared bouncing off the mattress to follow him across the floor as they both look down at Mackenzie.

As he trails behind Jensen, once Jensen has his hand on the knob, Jared drifts backward, his heart racing, his lips vibrating from his continual need to bite at both the top and bottom ones, and his body electric with frenetic current, to shift gears and go full-on Alpha with Jensen...mate to knot right on this floor. There's no real person to battle with to keep Jensen as his own— ** _mine_** —but he feels the jolt of distance like a wall coming down between them where they can see one another but can't touch.

“I'll see ya’ when I get back home.”

“ _...yeah..._ ”

Jensen opens the door, looking back. “When Mack wakes, give her my love, huh?”

“ _...sure, sure..._ ” Jared nods as he waits until the paneling closes before he lets his inner rage flow, expelling a deep guttural growl, beginning to pace the floor of Mackenzie's bedroom. He yanks off his robe, kicking away his slippers...mere symbols of how “human” he can't pretend to be. What he really needs is the fighting cage, spar a few rounds with Christian.

Jared doesn't want to give Mackenzie _any_ of Jensen's love because he wants the emotion all for himself. Clearly an irrational thought he would never admit out loud, but he finds life here is about as fucked up and chaotic as back in Canus District. He still paces fifteen minutes later, every once in a while boxing or jabbing his balled fists in the air to release his hormones and endorphins to balance his system before he steps near the slumbering Canus 'pup'. It's as he stands there, naked in all his glorious skin-fur that he evens his breathing to hear...

“ _...oshla? oshla...blir'mygh wagn'rff isho?_ ” [ _Papa? Papa?...where have you gone?_ ]

Jared shuts his eyes, rubbing the backs of his paws over his lids. He wanders over to the sleeping mat to sink to the floor. “...I'm right where I'll always be, _pa'ia_...” He sidles his thick skin-fur body close to surround her, then feels himself center and relax as Mackenzie goes limp in his arms like she truly _is_ safe in the hold she believes belongs to her only father. The only one she's known.

==&&==&&==&&==

Jensen is glad that the car isn't in the driveway when he finally makes it downstairs. He waits on the small front porch, leaning on one of the posts until the familiar SUV pulls up. He had both ear-buds in his ears, his thumbpad working on shuffling through his array of playlists to choose the best music to get him through the drive to school.

He sees the slow-as-hell drive-by of the SUV, then the awkward sudden stop that jerks the whole vehicle as the driver, Chad, notices him coming down the long walkway off the driveway's asphalt. The SUV slowly inches in reverse to match the back passenger door with where Jensen stands. He almost forgets that to the Canus guards that work for his father...he is Alan Ackles' second son—the spare, not the heir—and he is often sickeningly treated like royalty for he's their Master's offspring, deserving of the same honor and respect. Jensen could truly care less as long as he makes it safely to school.

Not having met this...“Chad” before, Jensen has no idea what to expect. He still keeps it in mind that Jared had mentioned the Canus guard was disabled, so he has no qualms about opening his own door. He notices how Chad hurriedly exits his side, leaving his own driver door wide open as he wobbles around the hood.

“ _eheheh..._ Master Ackles... **Sir**...” Chad is a bit out of breath as he reaches the door, grabbing the handle with his pristine white-gloved paw, the other arm is tucked behind his back as he tilts to one side more than the other.

Jensen isn't moving, only staring with a blank look on his face. “It's _Jensen_. Or _Jen_ ,” He briskly replies as he slides off his backpack to throw it inside first. He tugs out both ear-buds to stand near Chad. “...you don't have to be formal with me Chad. It's all right if I call you ' _Chad_ '?” Jensen is taking in the “look” of this Canus, because it's disturbing how striking he is upon first glance, with his slight canine features and that interesting shape of his nose with the darker tip; he would expect to have seen the dark hair follicles to show transparent whiskers, but he has the same mutton-chops as Jared, only a darker blond. Like the same color as Jensen's own hair before he completely destroyed it.

“oh, yes...yes, of course. Whatever you want.” Chad simply smiles, bowing his head as his grip tightens on the door handle.

“How _old_ are you?”

Chad beams, lifting his chin with pride for having made it farther in age than any of his doctor's had predicted. “I'm 19, **Sir**.”

“yeah?...cool...I'm 15. An' only my father, an' men over 50, should be called ' _sir_ '. I'm _Jen_...” Jensen is unsure if the nerves are just flustering the young Canus guard or if he actually is a bit slow. “...or _Jen-_ ** _sen_**.”

Chad nods his head, dropping his chin again. He's familiar with the way people tend to talk to him slowly or repeat words they don't think he hears. “I'm only showing you the respect you deserve. It's my duty as a CAG officer to obey the rules set forth and treat my Master's family as if they are the Master, himself.”

Jensen is blown away by this admission because he's been shielded by Jared to such an extent of how the other Canus guards must look at him. “I don't know _who_ told you...you had to be this way with me...or my brother Josh...or even for my little sister, Mackenzie. But it _is_ okay to be yourself around us. We don't need or want you to be so formal with us. IN fact, we'll hate it.”

“I'm sorry.” Chad knows disappointment when he sees and hears it; he drops his chin in shame.

“Don't be.” Jensen clamps a hand on Chad's arm. “Forget what the other Canus guards told you...an' trust in that we don't care to be treated exactly like your Master.”

Chad blinks to look over at the young male human, biting the inside of his cheek. “You won't tell him?”

“My father doesn't listen to me.” Jensen shrugs, moving to stand close to the handle of the door. “I keep a ton of stuff from him.”

Chad releases a shy smile. “I understand, Jen _sen_.”

“Good.” Jensen pats Chad on the back. “Thank you, but I can open an' close my own door. Jus' get me to school in one piece.”

“Yes. I'm sure I can do that, uh...Jen _sen_.” Chad hopes that Jensen is picking up on his slight tease, saying the young man's name in a funny manner—how it sounded to Chad's ears.

Jensen rolls his eyes as he softly punches a fist into Chad's biceps, then climbs in, letting Chad shut the door for him only this once. Chad quickly wobbles around the hood of the vehicle, then settles behind the wheel. Jensen waits until the Canus guard is comfortable before he leans over the front seat, holding out his MP3 player.

“...hook the end of this chord into that USB...” Jensen points directly to the USB port he means on the side of the LCD screen. “You like music, Chad?”

“...yes.”

“Any kind?”

“Anything except country or classical.”

Jensen chuckles softly with a slight snortle out of his nostrils. “Then you'll like the kind of stuff I have. Do you own your own player or...a, uh...computer.”

“I was commissioned a laptop as a cadet.” Chad buckles himself in; he twists his head to say over his shoulder what he was given, “IBM Toughbook.”

“ _...whoa...seriously,_ ** _dude_** _?!_ ” Jensen knows how expensive and awesome-looking those laptops are. “...you're not, like, James Bond, are you?” Chad is going to be way-too easy to tease and crack jokes with.

“ _...nonono..._ I'm not like James Bond.” Chad turns the volume up with one push of his paw pad on the steering wheel, setting the SUV in motion. “Can you sit down an' seat belt yourself in, please...Jen _sen_.”

Jensen smirks with a little playfulness. “I like you, CAG officer Chad.”

Chad blushes as he bows chin to chest. “I like you too...Jen _sen_ Ross Ackles.”

“We're gonna be _good_ friends, Chad. “

“...whatever you say...”

Jensen couldn't help snickering behind his hand as he bounces his head to the smooth rhythms pouring out of the awesome surround sound speakers. He doesn't know why he isn't more emotionally distraught over how he has left things with Jared. Maybe because...despite the “impasse” they agreed finding themselves at, Jensen can't get that one thought out of his head when Jared admitted he had cried because Jensen wasn't a Canus like Mackenzie. He wonders if Jared was having some type of fantasy of him...being Canus, of mating...of knotting...of having a similar life to share where they could have 'pups' and build a life together no one would condemn them for.

Even though there was heartache...there is still a bright spark of hope.

==&&==&&==&&==

Jared doesn't know what to do once Mackenzie shows a sudden improvement from the earlier traumatic events. He does know that he should keep her entertained, or at least, make her feel every bit of normal that she has always been. There's no need to freak her out this early in the game when no one knew exactly what they were facing.

He decides that he'll take her out to the park, around her school, maybe even see if she feels like heading out onto the playground and enjoy some parts of her afternoon that has vanished without a trace. But first, he has to put an important phone call out, to someone who he never thought he'd ever reach out to. He keeps trying to exit her bedroom, but each time he reaches the door, he turns back around, fearful of leaving her on her own where she might go into fever and want to "nest" again. So he lifts her off the sleeping mat, which wakens her slightly. She smiles at him, petting his chest as he carries her to her bed. He lays her down on the comforter, then wraps her up like she's a burrito; Mackenzie gets a kick out of the playfulness Jared adds as he rolls her 'round-n-'round and then folds her up, bundling her like a newborn.

At first, she's fidgety, like she wants to be free, but there's an interesting sensation coursing through her where she feels comfy and a sense of contentedness. Mackenzie snuggles into Jared's arms, willing to play along with whatever he plans on doing with her. She trusts him implicitly. Jared leaves her bedroom, walking with the little girl in cradled to his chest as he makes his way down the corridor to head toward his "office". It's an old guest bedroom Alan had converted for Jared into a functioning small office, since he brought a lot of files home with him when he always left Canus District. He not only worked _inside_ the District, but also _outside_ , with several groups and outside shelters and homes.

The person he was meaning to put a phone call to was Jeffrey Dean's wife—his human wife—Samantha. "Sam"...as Jeffrey Dean is known to call her, heads a lot of the charities and gala events that fund every Canus venture that betters their way of life. Jared has never reached out to Samantha without Jeffrey Dean there, so this is a nerve-wracking step he's taking, not sure his ex-superior minds if a nudge is given to his wife for purposes that border on the personal and private. This has to be kept on the _hush-hush_ , because Jared wants to be the one who gives his Master this information.

In his cell phone he knows he has two numbers for Jeffrey Dean—well, _three_...cell, office and home. Jared will try "home" to be on the safe side, thinking that since Samantha has retired from her Canus Group INC job, right after her husband retired from the military, she now worked out of their lavish military officer's home, set just a bit outside the District.

Pressing the single digit, Jared waits for the other end to be picked up. It goes directly to a voice recording; he doesn't leave a message, just hangs up.

He sighs, looking down at Mackenzie asleep in his arms. He starts to swivel the chair, a pseudo-rocking motion to soothe her. Her head is resting on the bend of his right arm; he peels away some of the blanket, hoping she's not overheating. Jared leans back in the leather cushion of the chair, staring down at Mackenzie with a slight lift to the end of his mouth as he reaches down to take her tiny hand in his, massaging the softness of the paw-pad. He barely notices the slight shifts in color from her skin-fur over her wrist into the top of her hand. He has a feeling that this "transformation" situation might be systematic, where it actually comes in waves, then disappears to a point where she appears human again. That would be a good thing since he hadn't really figured out a proper and gentle way to reveal this news to his Master. Or even _if_ he wanted to before he was certain of more than just that she was definitely becoming a Canus. He'd like to have a backstory to feed Alan so he couldn't find fault with his daughter. Jared hopes he has a better read on Alan Ackles than his own sons do, who think he is the evil incarnate.

He sets his cell phone to vibrate, and before it can annoy him, or wake Mackenzie, he pushes to talk...

“Hello?”

“Jared? It's Samantha.” There's a stretch of silence, with a voice being cleared, some muttered conversation, then Samantha is back to say, “You called...is everything all right?”

Jared can feel the flush creeping up his face, under his facial hair. “You didn't have to call me back so fast.”

“Nonsense. You don't normally call here. You try to reach Jeff directly.” There was a long pause to see if Jared would fill the quiet. “...is there something you need?”

“Actually...” Jared clears his throat, staring down at Mackenzie in his arms. “...there is. I wouldn't have contacted you unless it was dire, and it had to be kept under discretion.”

“ _sooo..._ I'm already forbidden to tell my husband?”

“ _...no-no..._ ” Jared quickly corrected himself; he knows how close Jeffrey Dean and Samantha are in their marriage—a level of honesty not found in most human marriages. “...he may even be helpful at some point. But I need your assistance right away.”

“oh, my...you sound—what's going on, Jared? I can hear it in your voice that you're almost at the end of your rope.”

“Typically, I'd be better at _this_ —more focused.” Jared sniffs out a soft laugh, then glances down at Mackenzie in his arms. “It's one of those things where one doesn't know the capacity they had to love until someone they love is in desperate need of them.”

“...oh, _honey_...” Samantha lets out a heavy sigh. “This sounds more than ' _dire_ '. I think we need to have a face-to-face.”

“...are you sure?” Jared sits up straighter in his chair, leaning to the right. “You're home and I—”

“I'm actually _not_ home. I'm in town, driving around doing errands with my assistant. I tend to check my messages a bit more regularly when I do this, so people don't know the difference. I can be at your house in 10 minutes.”

Jared considers an off-site location, but then he stares down at Mackenzie. “ _...yeah-yes..._ that sounds ideal.”

“Good. Good. I'll see you soon, then.”

“Yes, Thank you—if I forget to say so when you're here.”

“It's ' _Sam_ ', Jared. And no ' _thanks_ ' is needed. I hear-tell I owe you a million-and-one of those things for savin' Jeff's ass countless of times.”

Jared shuts his eyes in a sense of overwrought emotion; something about Samantha and her voice that sends him into mild comfort. “He exaggerates...but...you are welcome.”

“Bye, Jared.”

“Goodbye, Samantha.”

==&&==&&==&&==

Jared has Mackenzie on his shoulder, her face has turned into his neck as tufts of warm breath pelt his skin-fur. He pats and soothes her back, pacing the front formal living room. He has heard the doorbell, knowing the house staff will answer, then show Samantha Morgan into the room. Jared stops pacing, then moves forward so he can attempt to greet Jeffrey Dean's wife.

He never knows what to expect with this female human. She's a conundrum, but it's clear how perfectly she fits alongside her husband, even though normally Canus and humans should never mix. Not forbidden or taboo...just unpredictable. A time bomb waiting to explode. Not to mention the fact that “Big Brother” tended to keep a watchful eye when no one was looking, to make certain that they had all the data needed to prove their experiments and theories, that regular every day people weren't going to come up with something that could out-do the Canus creation.

The first Canus had been viable as mates to humans, though breeding was forbidden. When humans and Canus mated, it was either passionately intimate or passionately violent. There was never an in between. But no one could stop anyone, Canus or human, from showing their love by procreating and the offspring from these matings were, for the most part, fine. But as time went on and the humans DNA was erased out of the equation to be replace by synthetics...new Canus-to-human mating and breeding was completely out-of-whack and beyond predictable. 'Pups' had a better survival rate if their mothers were Canus, because human females couldn't survive a Canus birth. Those that could were rare and nearly extinct.

Jeffrey Dean and Jared were bred of the same generation of Canus and real human DNA; they had been humans before being subjected to the tests that made them the canine soldiers they are today. Samantha—back then Samantha Ferris—had flirted with the CAG officers, though she had been married at the time. Jared always knew Jeffrey Dean had “feelings” [ _most called them “cravings” since Canus emotions were so visceral for humans_ ] for Samantha; she was what had kept Jeffrey Dean from dying during military missions in the wars they had fought in overseas. Jeffrey Dean had returned wounded, and during that time period, Samantha had separated from her husband. Unable to deny how much she had come to care for the older CAG officer, she had spent many sleepless night worrying over him to finally see him come home to recuperate. She had found them a “home”—their own place—the minute Jeffrey Dean had landed in Canus District, and they haven't been apart since.

They had no children and neither truly wanted to breed or raise 'pups'. Jeffrey Dean has his own “kids” in the Canus cadets he's trained, and sometimes raised, before he retired from active duty, and Samantha has her own set of Canus 'pups' that she had taken care of in her medical science duties at Canus Group INC. She had also retired from her degreed career, but stepped into Administration along with Jeffrey Dean's own board member position. Samantha only worked a few days a week, all other times she had her busy life as a military spouse and executive of Canus Group to keep her banging off the walls. Not to mention the off-site work she did with Canus charities to raise money; she often worked with the shelters and Canus non-profit organizations.

Samantha looks freshly tanned, her dark-russet brown hair perfectly coiffed off her neck. The cream-colored power-suit fit well with her dark coloring and there is no doubt she's prepared to fight some kind of “battle” in Jared's name.

Jared approaches her, and right away, Samantha dissolves into a wide smile, crinkles at the corners of her eyes. “My apologies...I'd greet you, but I—” He sweeps open one arm to show her the slumbering child he has in his arms.

“oh, _honey_...” Samantha pushes a hand into her chest, not expecting to see Jared in such a fatherly role to a young child. She feels tears prickle the backs of her eyes “ _...no, no, no..._ she's so darling...” She reaches out to place a hand over the back of the blond curls, pet over them then along the small back. She squeezes Jared's paw, looking at him in an intense and direct manner to convey emotions toward his expressive eyes. “...she's why you called, huh?” Samantha softens her tone until it's nearly gravely.

Jared drops his gaze, feeling scrutinized and rather exposed and vulnerable. “She's Mackenzie...her brother's call her ' _Mack_ '...she's just turned 5, and...”

“...you found out she's Canus...” Samantha added with no fan-fare or disrespect, simply stating an obvious fact out loud.

“ _god..._ ” Jared turns to hide his face in Mackenzie's hair. “...so it's obvious.” He blinks slow, nodding with a heavy resolve that he has to start preparing to have a ready-set explanation if people start asking; he lifts his lids to look at Samantha directly.

“No, _sweetie_.” Samantha places the hand back on her chest, almost feeling like her chest will burst with her heart cracking. She doesn't know why she has such a tight bond with Canus men, especially her husband and Jared, but they make her want to hug them tight and ease their hurts. “I _know_ Canus.” She reaches out to touch Jared, wondering if he remembers his human mother. “I've worked with them since I interned in college, inside the District. I know a maternal instinct, from mother to 'pup', and, yes...fathers can be ' _maternal_ ' too.” She soothes his cheek, making sure to softly scratching over the rough stubble of the mutton-chop—the scalp under the bristly hair is so tender and often drives a Canus to cower in slight pleasure. “...and I think I've gotten to know you well too.”

“For the first time—well, no...scratch that.” Jared holds Mackenzie tighter to his body, arms sliding around the backs of her legs. “Keep forgetting my incident, 3yrs ago with Jensen...” He clears his throat, giving a side glance to Samantha, hoping she doesn't catch his obvious affections for a young male human. “Ackles...my Master's youngest son, second child...Mackenzie's brothers— _ohgod..._ I'm rambling...” Jared tenderly places a paw-pad to his own forehead.

“ _nonono..._ ” Samantha draws closer to Jared, finding him very similar to her own husband in so many aspects. “...you're being ' _human_ ', Jared. Just a kick-back to your old memories. Jeff does it as well.” She knows the two men are close, but not sure that Jeffrey Dean has opened up quite so extensively as he often does with her. “He has done it more since he's getting older, no longer set in his Canus ways.”

Jared stares hard at the floor. “I've never recalled a single memory of my human life before I was Canus.”

Samantha nods her head, then wanders over to a couch cushion so she can show Jared that he may sit along with her. “You're not supposed to.” She unbuttons her jacket to be able to sit more comfortably, keeping her knees together as she tilts her legs to the left and folds her hands on her lap. “If your Canus self ever knew what had been done to your human self in order to be the CAG soldiers you were...” Samantha closely watches Jared's face as he takes the cushion on the other end of the couch. “...well, we'd have one helluva revolt of vengeance...”

Jared raises his eyes to look hard at Samantha. “I don't do well when the children...” He blinks slow to follow with, “I've come to love all of them as my own.”

Samantha averts her head, looking down at her hands, spinning her wedding rings around. “Not a surprise to me. Canus are warm and loving...deeply affectionate when they're intimate with humans and other Canus. That's why they make excellent companions and caretakers.” She holds out her hands toward Jared. “...may I hold her?”

“ _...yeah-yes...of course..._ ” Jared knows better than to think Samantha would bring harm to Mackenzie, plus...he needs to break away from her shortly as she comes further and further out of her episode from this morning. He stands a bit off the cushions to lean toward Samantha and pass the little girl between them. He moves over to be near to both of them.

Samantha hefts Mackenzie around, placing her exactly how Jared had held her but on her own chest, hanging off a shoulder. “...god, she's light as a feather.” She adjusts her own body to sit farther back against the couch. “...c'mon...” A hand pats down on the cushion between them. “...tell me what's going on...what I can do for you to help...”

==&&==&&==&&==

Jared feels beyond great after Samantha leaves. Not only does he have a tentative plan set in motion, but he had the support from someone who could get him whatever he needs, at the drop of a hat. He had finally relented to Mackenzie, putting them in one of the armored sedans, having to find an older child seat to use in the backseat since this wasn't the usual car he drove her around in; he took her out for ice cream and to the playground near the park, close to her preschool.

Mackenzie enjoys the fresh air and sunlight, but what she loves even more is hanging out with Jared, alone, just them. Like they are a real father and daughter.

Jared chooses a bench nearest to the playground to sit on so he can watch Mackenzie, but she decides to sit with him, leaning against his left shoulder and biceps as she eats her single cone and watches the other kids and Canus 'pups' run, play and jump around. Jared doesn't mind the public affection given, but he knows that the human mothers around him will grow curious, thinking and wondering about who he actually is. Like if he has a Canus mate, where was she and why is he here in the middle of the day...as if he was playing Mr. Mom.

Once Mackenzie finishes her cone, she climbs onto Jared's lap, resting back on his chest. Jared keeps plying her with a cool drink [ _a small flavored Icee_ ] in order to keep her body temp from fluctuating to another fever. She looks content and happy, until watching other children have fun wiggles at her own want to play. She slides off Jared's lap. He leans forward, affectionate and loving to bring her confidence and self-esteem up. Mackenzie keeps hesitating, every so often gripping Jared tight to never let go. He promises her he'll be here, that he won't be upset if she goes off to play, but to always make sure she can see him. She trots away, glancing back at him with a silly grin. Jared already feels the emotions wrenching inside his gut, wanting to cry, wanting to hold and protect her from everyone meaning her harm.

“...you're _very good_ with her...”

Jared startles, not even aware that the other side of the bench has been taken by a female human. “She's a handful.”

“Is she your _first_?”

Jared realizes the woman assumes he's Mackenzie's father. “I wish.” Weird. He never thought he'd choose to be outright honest. “I'm...a companion to her and her siblings.”

“ _oh?_ ” The head tilts in curiosity as an easy grin fills the lower part of the pretty face. “How many?”

“...3...her and two boys—older.”

“ahhh...human _boys_ who will one day grow up to be human _men_...” She doesn't say the words with too much venom, but it's obvious she knows what she's talking about.

Jared smirks, sniffling out air through his nostrils. He could do a whole diatribe about teenage boys who become men on just Jensen alone. “You say that like it could end up being a bad thing.”

“ _nah..._ I love _all_ of my children.” The woman readjusts herself in a different position that shows off her protruding belly as she rubs over its wide mound. “...god, I couldn't even convince myself with that load of bullshit.” She grumbles with the slow shake of her head.

Jared startles with another snort, only because he never would've guessed that most of the young human mothers around here would use swear words in front of their children or other people's children. “I think I've raised mine as well as I could've...” He always feels such pride when he says words like this. “...in the time I've been in their lives.”

“You obviously give it your all. That little girl adores you...simple as that. I saw you and her...jus' had to come see if you were real, and rest my weary, swollen feet.”

“How far along are you?”

“Only 7...but I'm huge, huh? I look like I'd pop right now.”

“You look fine to me. But then...I've not been around many human pregnancies to judge.”

She taps her belly. “4th kid...an' it'll be my 3rd that I have with a Canus doula.”

Jared goes still, twisting his head to look directly at the woman at his left. “I'm sorry...I don't know what that is.” It sure didn't sound like a Canus word in their dialect.

“hehehe...it's okay. Not many do. Humans or Canus...well, those that aren't mated and actually have careers and good paying jobs.” She sounds like she envies those people. “It's a form of mid-wifery, but the Doula...she, or he...spends time prior to the birth with the expectant mothers. Like, uh...having a Lamaze coach with you 24/7, through the entire pregnancy.”

Jared furrows his brow in curiosity. It sounds like a logical position to have created, weird that he's never heard of it and he's deeply immersed in Canus society. This must have been something developed outside the District. “Does this have anything to do with the, uh—I'm sorry...my vocabulary is a bit rusty in the breeding...uh, mating world. It's called a...' _nesting tent_ ' or...” He waits a little to see if she'll supply the exact word for him.

“...yes, kind of. It's this handmade shelter...almost in the form of a hut—everyone who is an immediate relation to the Canus 'pup' is placed around the center fire...” The woman furrows her brow in confusion. “...wait...why do you—?...before I get into TMI territory...” She holds out a plump hand. “...name's Talbot Marros...but people usually call me ' _Tally_ '...or ' _Tal_ '.”

Jared takes the offered hand in his gloved paw. “...Jared.”

“...nice to meet you, Jared.” Talbot nods her head once. “Okay, now that we've got introductions over-with...uhm, I was at one of my best friend's home-births and...I don't know, I never knew I had the option, but Canus are surprisingly giving. Well, I don't have to tell you— _duh_. My first birth was quite painful and difficult. They almost warned that if we wanted more kids, then it'd be C-sections for the rest. Had I kept delivering in the hospital, I think I would've had my tubes tied at the first baby. But, when my daughter got older, and we started thinking about another sibling for her...I went to this home-birth with a Canus doula and... _sheesh_...” Talbot sweeps her bangs to one side, tilting her head into her shoulder. “She's become one of my best friends.” She gestures over in the direction of where the Canus doula is standing; Jared only glances briefly because he wants to turn back and listen closely to what Talbot is saying. “We moved her in at the 4th -5th months and then I'm pampered non-stop. Plus...she's like a built-in companion or nanny for the other kids. I probably talk to her 'bout everything, more than with my own mother.”

“Is it—?” Jared isn't sure why he's tensing his body, maybe because he's always a bit on-edge when he's around an older Canus female. He's never quite known why he does this, but thinks it has something to do with his past, further back than his Canus birth. “May I talk to her...if that's okay with you?” He doesn't know how strict Talbot will be with her Canus employee...or maybe she's one of those humans that considers the Canus more of a “family member” than someone who works in their home.

“...oh, c'mon...” Talbot looks at Jared from the side of her eyes, a tiny smile lifting one corner of her mouth. “...she's Canus. I thought you guys had, like, these mental bonds or some strange shit like that.” She smiles wide once she sees that Jared takes her teasing the way it's intended. “She's more _your_ ' _family_ ' than she is _mine_.”

“It's still rude of me to approach her without an introduction.” If Jared were meeting this Canus female on his own, then he would've done the informal greeting, but in the presence of the Canus doula's employer...he has to follow public protocol and keep his distance.

“wow...” Talbot startles a bit, leaning back against the bench to stare at Jared peculiarly. “...you are, like, kick-ass old school Canus....I _like_ it. Strange how my husband and I—we're both humans—just find ourselves with more Canus friends than human ones.” She makes a face, sweeping her hand in the air to wipe the fact away that she misses her human friends. “I don't mind. I'd rather build my own family than be born into one that doesn't appreciate me for my weirdness and eccentricities.” Talbot rises from the bench, Jared hurriedly offering her a hand at the last minute.

Jared felt the squeeze of reassurance, moving to offer her the entire arm for support as he slow-walks and she waddles beside him, over to her Canus. Even from so far away, he can feel the knowing eyes trace over him, checking him out and making sure he was of a good nature before there was an introduction.

As Talbot stands near Jared, he takes a step back and immediately the Canus doula changes her dulled expression to one of pure pleasure at finding a CAG officer who behaves and doesn't carry an “air” about him that's too pushy and invading. Jared catches how her smile reaches her eyes and he grins to himself, bowing his head and crossing his arms at the wrist on his lower back. He waits for Talbot to speak, then say his name...

==&&==&&==&&==

Jensen wasn't upset when Chad picked him up from school at the end of his boring half-day that seemed to never end. He had some idea that Josh may have been waylaid or busy after his classes. And he already knew Jared had been left to take care of Mackenzie; she probably hadn't gotten better as the day wore on. Jensen had wished Jared had phoned or texted him, but then again...he would be home in less than a few hours, give or take how long his classes went and if the office called him to the principal, curious to why he had been late. Everything seemed fine during his final class for the day and once the school bell chimed, with no special message to go to the main office where he had dropped off his father's signed note at, Jensen strolled out of the front foyer doors and immediately noticed the familiar SUV parked near the painted curb.

As he walked toward the vehicle, he eyed the group of boys [ _the ones who frequently teased and taunted him_ ] standing in the grass not too far from where Chad was climbing out of. They stopped chatting between them, stared, but then went about their business as if they weren't interested in who this might be. Chad was an impressive figure in his driving suit, with tilted brimmed cap; the white gloves added a touch that made him appear to be almost a Marine cadet, though the color of his suit was the darkest of navy blues. Jensen can't help but chuckle as he moseys on over to meet Chad.

“...you do remember who I am? What I told you this afternoon?” Jensen means about the constant need to open and shut doors for him, when he's capable of doing both for himself.

“I do.” Chad slides a single finger of his gloved paw down his new wool jacket, admiring his ensemble. “I wanted to look nice for you, as you opened your door. I can't protect you, Jen _sen_ , if I'm behind the wheel of the car.” From their first car ride mere hours ago, it's become a private joke between them that Chad brackets the syllables of Jensen's name.

Jensen actually has to take a hard swallow. He's never had a best friend; he's only had Jared in his life, along with Josh and Mack. It's awesome and quite touching that Chad wants to do his assigned duty to the best of his abilities despite Jensen's refusal of his help. Now he feels like the humbled one as he bows his head. Jensen feels like he has been the asshole that he told Chad he wasn't. Canus live and breathe duty and honor; Chad wouldn't be the CAG officer he was if he didn't follow the rules set out for him to obey. “...my sincerest apologies, Chad.” He steps to the young Canus, head bowed and shaking the shape as he tightens his handgrip on the straps of his backpack. “I forgot it's more than just your job...or a, uhm...like a career choice some college graduate takes on once the degree is in his hand. I grew up with Jared, so...I'm embarrassed that I let it slip my mind that it's practically your whole life to be by your Master's side...well, or the family that represents him.” Jensen holds up a hand, the flat of his palm stopping Chad from speaking. “Forget everything I said this afternoon...and do what you feel I need in order to protect me and keep me safe.”

Chad lets out a beaming smile. “...thank you, Jen.” He softens his voice because now he knows how much he can trust Jensen; now he understands why Jared likes—possibly loves—this Ackles boy so much. There's an unwavering sense of honor buried deep within the human teenager. He crosses his arms at the lower dip of his back. “I was told to do my job as if I was ' _Jared_ ' himself—back in his heyday when he not only protected Master Ackles, but you children as well. I merely try to honor my own ' _father_ ' Alpha as we form our own ' _pack_ ' within our Master's household.”

Jensen narrows his gaze onto Chad's features. “...an' Jared will know how proud he should be of what he's found in you, Chad.” He reaches out to lay his hand on the wool sleeve covering the thick bicep, then squeezes the shape. He's shocked to find that though the Canus guard might be disabled to some eyes, he's still a viable physically fit CAG officer. “You bench?”

Chad nods his head in silence, dipping his chin to block Jensen's view of his face. “ _...yes...'bout 200-215..._ ”

“ _...jesus, man..._ ” Jensen is more than impressed. He sweeps his hand toward the passenger door and its handle. “...please...do your worst, Chad. I'll try not to make too many disturbed faces or disapproving sounds under breath. It'll take me a while to get used to giving up control of my car door opening and closing privileges.”

Chad chuckles, extending his gloved right hand to push in the button as he unlatches the door, but he pauses, turning toward Jensen. “Will I be driving you the rest of the week, Jen _sen_?”

Jensen smirks, shrugging his shoulders as he looks at Chad. “Would you like to be my bodyguard, and driver, Chad?” He knows what that could mean for Chad, so he's willing to give up some kind of personal time with Jared in order to make a better reputation of himself to the Ackles guards.

Chad stares dumbfounded, not sure what to say to that offer. He's never been in this kind of relationship with a human male, where it feels like they could be best friends, since they're so close in age. He's been around humans before, plenty of them at Canus Group, in the labs and clinics, and working inside the Canus shelters to interact with the Canus they care for. Chad has never imagined he could ever find himself responsible for tending to one, being his guard, protecting him from harm. Jared had taken a bullet—several of them—for Jensen, but Chad's not sure if he's made of that type of mettle. “ _...uh_ , do I have to answer you now? Can I... _think_ about it?”

Jensen nods his head, biting down on his bottom lip as he contains what he really wants to say. No wonder Jared hasn't taken it upon himself to find any other guard to be his personal bodyguard and driver forever—none of the other guards want to put their lives in that, literal, line of fire. “ _no...yeah-yes...of course_. It's okay to refuse, Chad. I was only thinking...well, never mind.” Jensen drops his gaze, going somber and quiet as he waits for Chad to open the door fully.

Once the paneling is wide open, Chad eyes Jensen's motions from under his brim. He knows he's hurt the young man's feelings, despite not giving a concrete response. The fact he has to think about the job is enough of a doubt the offer will be accepted—to the Ackles guards, Jensen always needs “high priority” protection. Chad had almost had a heart attack when Chris allowed him this one day to drive for Jensen, but then it weighed heavy on him: not only the “high” alert, but the way he would appear to Ackles' son, whether the handicap would be a bother or that Chad's manner of doing the job to the best of his abilities would be accepted. There was more stewing inside Chad, no only driving Jensen to school; he wished he could tell the young man that exact predicament, instead of him stepping back as he notices the ear-buds going into the ears behind the shaded window.

 _Dammit..._

==&&==&&==&&==  
 **TBC...**


	6. Chapter 6

He knows he's not the best conversationalist, being rude and only giving clipped responses. Chad finally gets the hint and turns the radio volume up. The second he pulls into the driveway, rounding the pavement to merge with the sidewalk, Jensen is out of the SUV and fast-walking to the Canus bath and grooming station his father had built near the Security Shack. Jensen can already hear the laughter and loud screeching, woven between the splashes. Jensen hangs up his cap and jacket at the entrance, then slowly walks down the hall to peek into the main washroom.

There are showers and two large stainless steel tubs. The whole room is tiled, from floor to ceiling, with several drains cut out on the floor-panels. Various upper piping, both large and small, cover the ceiling, so that the shower sprays can be dragged from one end of the room to another, dousing a body in any proximity.

Jared and Mackenzie are in a single tub together: Mackenzie is in a one-piece bathing suit with her child-sized swimming goggles and snorkel. Jensen snickers out a soft laugh before he makes his presence known. _This_ is why he doesn't just _love_ Jared, but why he fucking _adores him to distraction_. Nothing was sexier to him than watching Jared act like a Canus naturally would with his own offspring. Even now, knowing what Mackenzie would soon become...made the moment more poignant.

Mackenzie floats on her back while Jared levitates her with one palm against her mid-spine, tickling the bottoms of her feet. Already, Jared can feel the roughness of the paw pads. He laughs and squeals because Mackenzie does, but also because he's feeling this close bond with the little girl. He doesn't even hear Jensen walk in, just feels the fingers comb through his wet locks, then the hand curl about his shoulder joint.

“I wanna get in there with both of you.” Jensen is tall enough to rest his arm along the raised washtub ledge, leaning against Jared. He bends over to rub a cheek and half his jaw over Jared's hair and temple.

It's a somewhat tense moment for them both, because of how they left things earlier today, once Jensen had left for school. But that's what's so good about them as well—they can look at one another with one stare and suddenly it's a clean slate to start over with. Even before they had these strange and wondrous, all-encompassing _feelings_ for one another...they actually had gotten along and were good friends.

“Can't.” Jared playfully pouts, extending his bottom lip outward. “We're almost done.” He makes a face at Mackenzie who has already made her dissatisfaction known.

Jensen is finding it difficult to not want to touch Jared and act on the want. “Did you have time to scrub yourself down?”

“...yes, Jensen.” Jared understands that Jensen has a heightened worry for him not being distracted when he grooms himself. Or especially when he tends to take care of others despite what his own self might want or need.

Jensen realizes he sounded kind of catty. “I wanted to help groom you.” He wasn't sure if he appreciated being overlooked for his older brother and baby sister.

“Next time. Or...when we leave Canus District after our stay that week.”

“...you—you really wanna take me?” Jensen is still amazed by this thought.

“Yes, Jensen. Now find a towel and get your sister out.” Jared has to do some final cleaning to drain the tub and wash away suds. Once he sees Jensen follow his command, he goes on with, “...of course, I won't just take you with me. I'll be requesting permission from your father.”

Jensen sets Mackenzie on a metal slab close-by and starts to dry her, then wraps her within the thick terry cloth. “You think that's wise?” As he places Mackenzie's feet on the floor, he strolls back over to Jared. He takes the hand-held spray out of Jared's grip, then turns the dial to a “pulse” setting. He has Jared move to sit forward so he can wash out the long strands off his head, then the tapering skin-fur down the muscled back. When the water hits, Jensen uses his other hand to apply pressure, like he's wringing the liquid out of a washrag. 

Jared grips the sides of the steel basin, his eyes rolling back into his head at the free-form back massage Jensen is giving him. “Why do you think it's _not_ wise?”

Jensen switches off the spray, then moves to stand where Jared can see him. “...uh, because he might not be agreeable, if he knows about Mackenzie by then.”

Jared goes still, his face impassive. He hadn't thought of that. “We aren't even sure about your sister.”

“I don't know. You've had her all day. Anything else happen we need to be concerned with?” Jensen closes his eyes as Jared nods slowly, watching Jared squeeze out excess moisture off his body. 

Jared sits in the tub with his legs drawn to his chest. Jensen can't see the groin area, not even a peek of the pink pointed-tip popping out. He bites his lip, moving back to the top of the tub to hang up the spray nozzle. Jared stands at a bend, then throws a leg over to climb out and down. Jensen is there to grab hips and steady Jared's frame, like he had dismounted. He stares down at the well-rounded, ample backside, watching each individual cheek part and swish as Jared keeps dancing off his foot-paws to give a short shake. Jared softly pats and squeezes Jensen's hands on his body, but then paces away to walk toward a doorway that leads into a room resembling a sauna—it helps fast-dry the Canus skin-fur when it's wet. Much like his portable skin-fur dryer in his bedroom.

Jensen sighs, biting his bottom lip as he watches the naked bottom disappear from view behind the teak door. He gradually makes his way over, looking into the tiny see-through window at the top of the paneling. Jensen notices Jared laying down one of the teak slabs popping out of the wall. Jared looks like he's resting to sleep as he draws up his right leg, bending at the knee, foot-pad flat to the wood. Jensen is desperate enough to follow, to open the door and sit in that intense heat just to be with Jared every second he can. He wants to rub all over Jared's body—yes, even with the thicker skin-fur—but he also wants to try that kissing thing again.

Josh wanders in, having changed into a pair of coveralls so he won't get hair on his clean clothes. “Is he drying?”

“...yeah...” Jensen makes a pouting face as he wanders away from the door, but only a few inches. He doesn't want Josh to think he's some kind of pervert.

“I need you to watch Mack for me.” Josh makes his voice very curt and hard, not wanting any lip from Jensen. “You can both stay here, but in the waiting room. I think the TV's got cable hook-up...or put in one of the DVDs, if they got something geared for kids here.” He goes to a cabinet to pull out several black steel cases, flipping the locks to open their lids. “I don't want her walking in and out with all this dead hair flying around.”

Jensen really wants to stay with Jared to watch the quick transition, from an all over body-shave to a fully realized human form with a slight sheen of skin-fur. Just the mere idea of a clean-shaven Jared causes his gut to clench and his dick to throb. Jensen will take on the babysitting job, but he won't like it.

“Come here, Jen.” Josh gestures with his head for his brother to walk over and look in the cases with him.

“What?” Jensen stomps over, arms crossed over his body as he keeps looking back over his shoulder to the sauna doorway. He wants Jared to come out now before Josh kicks him out, but he also knows Mackenzie is running around unsupervised and his priority should be to find her and make sure she's behaving.

Josh has one of the shavers in his hands, but he wasn't aware there were so many blades to choose from and he could see any instruction booklet to describe to him what he was looking at. “Do you know which blades they use to get that sleeker-look like skin?”

“uh, try one— _number_ one.” Jensen furrows his brow as he looks down at the numbered blades in the Styrofoam. “Tha's like an inch off the scalp. If not, go down to the half-inch.” As he's rattling off the numbers he's showing on his body where to use them on Jared. “Tha's more for the underarms and pubic region, backs of the knees and, uhm...the...bend of the elbows.”

Josh thinks he understands the concept now. “oh, so anywhere that heat can generate on their body...mat or tangle the thicker fur?”

“yeah...” Jensen sighs as he looks back to the sauna door again—still no sign of Jared and he can already hear Mackenzie rowdy laughter and giggling, so he has to get going. He knows once he leaves the doors will lock. “...an' maybe even the crack of his ass...” Jensen sticks his tongue into his cheek, knowing how Josh hates even an inkling of getting near another guy's junk or his ass.

“ ** _WHAT!?!_** ”

Jensen shuts the door on Josh's loud exclamation with a slight smirk to his face in vengeance for being kicked out.

==&&==&&==&&==

Jensen has been pacing outside the hall the last twenty minutes. Mackenzie is properly entertained by the television in the waiting room. Once he hears the overhead fans kick on, he knows the time is winding down. He stops at one point to lean on the wall, opposite the main doorway. He can't sit down and be still; he wants to see Jared so badly, like he can feel it quake from inside him. He's always had this weird pull, or draw, toward Jared that was inexplicable.

Soon, Josh opens the paneling, only peeking his head out. He rolls his eyes. “Jesus, Jen...get in here. He's waitin' to see you too.” Josh shakes his head as he hasn't been able to figure out this odd bond Jensen and Jared seem to have with each other. He's not jealous in the least, not even curious. Josh teases his brother a lot; Jensen tends to act more like Jared's “girlfriend” sometimes, but these days his little brother has become more like a nagging “wife”. There are times he'll witness Jensen ride Jared's ass by asking him twenty questions about one thing, usually having to do with Jared's life as a Canus or his past before arriving at the Ackles home.

Jensen hides his arms behind his back, crossing them to grab his elbows. When he enters the room, he has to walk further in to find which of the metal slabs Jared is on. Josh is off in another room, cleaning the shavers and other supplies he had used. The overhead halogen lamp is turned off, and Jared is laying on his back with both of his arms over his face.

Jensen hurries to Jared's side, dragging a rolling stool with his left foot. Though he can't see Jared's face, Jensen can see the beautiful bare human-like body and that gorgeous shimmering coat of thinner skin-fur. The all-over body-shave tends to irritate the scalp so Jared is simply trying to relax and stop this constant shivering his body has been shocked into. Jensen pulls the short sheet Josh had covered Jared with around the genital mound, in case Jared involuntary pops out. He shouldn't since he's still under the control of the suppressants.

Reaching out a hand, Jensen combs through the soft brown locks from the high brow, then places a comforting palm, with some pressure, on Jared's abdomen. The chest expands and contracts with every frenzied intake of breath. Jensen bends low to a pointed ear, fingertip caressing the lower part of the lobe. “ _...ssshhh, ssshhh...it's all over...you're fine now._ ” Lips against the bare skin on the temple, he murmurs, “ _...m'here...m'here..._ ” He feels the wetness begin to build in the backs of his own eyes, wanting to cry because he doesn't like seeing Jared look like he's tortured or hurting.

Before Jared removes his arms, he attempts to wipe away the lone tears falling out of the corners of his eyes. “...now you know why I hesitate with the full body-shave in a public groomer's...” He laughs lightly at himself, knowing that this isn't a very manly Canus reaction to have; Jensen has domesticated him in so many ways.

Jensen notices that Jared isn't shy about his tears, so he won't be either. “Josh isn't the kindest groomer.” He furrows his brow as Jared flips his head toward him, fingers-pads reaching up to touch his face. “...you should've asked me...” Jensen twists into the paw-pad and kisses the rough surface, letting it caress over his cheek and into his hair.

“eh, like I said... _next time_.” Jared gives off a small grin, gazing up and thinking he wants Jensen to shave him in a more intimate setting when they're alone. “I told him.” He clears his throat, waiting for Jensen's reaction to his older brother knowing about Mackenzie.

Jensen widens his eyes. “...'bout Mack?”

“I don't want either of you boys to feel like she's some kind of freak...” Jared doesn't nod his head, but averts his eyes and goes on, “She'll always be your baby sister.”

“She's not a ' _freak_ '...” Jensen rubs over Jared's abdomen, loving the feel of the sleeker skin-fur under his palm. “...we all love you too much to even try to think of her that way.”

Jared settles his right hand on Jensen's that's on his belly. “She was 'nesting'.” He clears his throat and looks up at the ceiling, trying to explain what she had been doing when he came upon her in her bedroom that triggered this whole revelation. “I haven't heard of a Canus 'pup' nesting since around my time. It's rare, but it can happen when the transformation is delayed.”

“What can we do for her?”

“It's a waiting process, mostly. Medically, she's on her own.” Jared places his left arm over his brow; his skin-fur tingles in the weirdest places. “We do have to watch her for fevers. She could get infections or colds around this time.”

“...oh, man...great...” Jensen doesn't want to know this, because that was pretty harrowing what they went through today. To think of having to do that with more people around the house was frightening. He notices that Jared is averting his gaze, his lips working to spit something out. “What?”

“...huh?” Jared swiftly turns his head toward Jensen.

“Say it.” Jensen points an index finger at Jared's face. “I can tell you want to say something, but you're afraid.”

Jared swats away Jensen's pointing finger, like it's accusing him of avoiding the tougher issues. “When she's fully into her transformation period, I have to take her out of the house. She needs to be in a warm, safe and loving environment.”

“What? You mean like...” Jensen takes a hard swallow, because this is how one fear, something dragging Jared back to live in the District, far away from him. “...to Canus District?”

“...no-no...” Jared squeezes Jensen's hand in reassurance. “I don't want to take her there.” He shakes his head adamantly, his hair billowing out on the slab surface he lays on.

“Jared...” Jensen isn't sure he knows what Jared is trying to say.

Jared lowers his voice, like he doesn't want to be overheard saying this out loud. “If she were truly mine, I'd be able to take her with my pack—my own family and we could create a nesting hut and use our bodies to help her feel nothing but love and acceptance.”

Jensen's eyes go a bit wider when he hears all those words Jared said. And if Jared won't take her to the District...? “Where does she need to go when this happens?”

“Outside the Canus District, first.” Jared coughs and clears his throat again, then scratches at his face. He's not used to the blunter cut nailbeds, but he looks at them in approval. At least he doesn't have to wear his gloves around the house anymore, just outside in public. “There's someone I can take her to, where a group of Canus, working outside of the District, do this very thing for a living. But it's not going to happen overnight.”

“How long will she have to be gone?”

Jared takes a hard swallow because he's been trying to figure out just how to do this without alerting the other Canus guards or Alan Ackles. “...3 days.”

“jesus...” Jensen lets his mind whirl in thought. “We can't tell my father.”

“Sadly, I agree.” Jared blinks slow, then peers up at Jensen's face. “I'm not certain he would allow me near her once he knows. Or if—” He doesn't even want to fathom what the situation would be if the worst thing he can think of happens. 

“What?” Jensen wrinkles his brow in curiosity with a tilt to his head.

Jared won't look directly at Jensen so he only darts his gaze as he speaks, “...my one fear is that he'll be upset enough to try and get rid of her.”

“ ** _christ!_** ” Jensen turns his head away in disgust, because he's known his father to do some pretty god awful things. “You think he'd be _that_ vindictive?”

“I'm not sure.” Jared shrugs both shoulder, unsure in truth exactly how Alan would react. “Alan has softened over the years, especially to me. He's not been the _ideal_ father, but I would hope there's compassion in him. Or I could just get him to listen to me, and see reason.” He knows if he ever had to, he could use the fact that he saved Jensen's life to get Alan to bend to his will, but that was a card he never wanted to have to play. Jared didn't want Jensen knowing he would ever use that tragedy as some kind of trump card.

“Why?” Jensen is a bit perplexed by just how much control Jared thinks he has over his father, and if Jared could really succeed. “What would you say to him?”

“It's not saying words to him.” Jared touches his chest as he mumbles out, “It's asking him to consider turning her over to my keeping.”

“...make her your real ' _pa'ia_ '...” Jensen has to twist his head away as he utters the words.

“Yes.”

“You love her _that_ much?” Jensen knew this fact already so there's no reason for him to be startled, but yet he is. Jared states the single answer on such certainty.

“Yes. I do.”

Jensen is shaken and disquieted. He circles his arm about Jared's head, laying his cheek down to hug awkwardly, then he tangles their fingers together on Jared's body. “...you constantly amaze me, but I'm not surprised.”

Jared simply goes quiet, closes his lids and lets Jensen's warmth, his need to touch, wash over him. He knows if he tells Jensen exactly how tragic and sad a Canus' life was, he wouldn't be believed, which is why he wants to bring Jensen with him on his next visit to Canus District.

“All right, you two lovebirds... ** _get a room!_** ” Josh is carrying two large bottles in each hand. “I warmed the oils for you. Want me to stick aroun'?” He knows it's a dumb question, since Jensen is here and capable of doing exactly what he would be doing.

Jensen barks out with a curt, “ ** _No!_** ”

Jared only shakes his head, side-eying Jensen as he sits upright.

“Good, then...” Josh gives out a solid head bounce, then shoots double barrels with both hands toward Jared and Jensen. “I'll take Mac'n'Cheese with me...get her changed out of her swimsuit. Jared...” Josh settle his arm along Jared's chest wall, palm up so they can have that long forearm-shake they tend to do. “...my man, we will talk later?” He pats the top of Jared's softer skin-fur hand.

“yeah-yes, Josh...” Jared gives a definite tight squeeze to Josh to show the young man his word is bond. “...we will. After dinner.”

“You got it.” Josh wanders away to unzip and climb out of the coveralls to show that he was in shorts and a t-shirt, then throws the dirty material in the laundry bin. 

Jensen is curious to what _that_ means, concerning his older brother. “Is that _something_ ** _I_** should be a part of?” He wonders if it has anything to do with what they would be deciding about Mackenzie. “I wanna know what's discussed, if it's about Mack. You won't make any decisions on your own. We do this as a family...” Jensen rolls the stool around to the end of the table where Jared sits, his legs dangling off the edge. Jensen reaches out to grab the backs of the thick calves. His eyes roam down, along the shorn skin-fur, to the blending of tan to light brown and dark browns from ankle to foot. He notices the clipped nails and the pads under the large sole. Jensen smiles, lifting his head to crane his neck to look up at Jared, who's been watching him. “I'm jealous of how beautiful you look like this.” He pets gently over the skin-fur, causing a soft purr and a whimper from Jared. He holds up his hand for the first bottle of oil. “Do you mind?”

Jared shakes his head, then leans on the table surface by bracing his paw-pads with limbs extended backward. “I love watching you take care of me.” _...I love watching you worship my body_ , Jared says in his innermost thoughts as he adoringly gazes at Jensen's bowed head. 

Jensen quirks an eyebrow upward, smirking. “I love serving you. You rarely ask it of anyone.” He begins massaging the foot pads, then the individual toes up along the web of the right foot to the ankle. Soothing the backs of the calves to the knees, he circles around to knead over the front of the right leg; Jensen does the same to the left leg. He wipes excess liquid off onto the huge kneecaps when he tugs on the short sheet. “May I?” He wants to remove the cover to get to the thighs. “...you trust me?”

“I trust myself more, so yeah...do your worst.” Jared knows Jensen is only trying to get him riled up—hot and horny. Unfortunately, Jared is resting at an extremely mellow point with his hormones, and he's certain his suppressants are kicking in finally to where even the idea of Jensen's hand over him, trying to unsheathe his cock won't stir him. He notices Jensen's hesitation. “...would you like it better if I was laying down?”

Jensen feels as if he's being challenged. Jared eyes flash with a dare. “Something tells me it'll be a repeat of last night, with me being hard an' coming in my pants. You can rest assured, I'll keep this as kid-friendly as possible.”

Jared chuckles deeply. “It's okay if you're curious.” He knows how often Jensen's thinks about sex and knotting, just natural for him to be curious about what a real Canus penis looks like when it's out of the sheathe. “We've never truly shared our bodies this way. I can try if you really want an intimate reaction from me.”

“You can do _that_?” Automatically, Jensen's mind is whirring in the gutter to the fact that if Jared can conjure his dick out of it's covering then maybe he could make himself reach some kind of orgasm that Jensen has been dying to witness.

“I can _try_ , I said. _No_ promises.” Jared stretches, shuffling up the table to spread out on his back.

Jensen eyeballs Jared, biting the inside of his cheek as he watches Jared remove the short sheet, balling the material up to use as a pillow behind his head. Basically, Jensen stares for a long time before Jared reaches out to snag one of his hands. “...hmm?” He is concentrating too hard on the genital mound where the hair growth was kept to give Jared some sense of dignity, like he had a true patch of pubic hair where his sheathed cock would pop out of.

“Talk to me.” Jared tangles his fingers with Jensen's. “I want to know what you feel as you feel it.”

“Honestly?” Jensen raises one lone eyebrow.

“...please.”

It's such a soft plea, Jensen can't deny Jared. He blinks once, swallowing hard. “I want you to fuck me.” _...eventually_ , Jensen is too scared to add this as it was tough enough to admit the _other_ thing.

There's a stretch of silence, and then Jared busts out with a loud laugh that shakes his entire frame. He can't remain in the submissive position anymore, so he sits upright again, jumping down to be foot-paw to shoe. He lifts his arms to clamp hands on Jensen's shoulders. “I'm so damn lucky to have someone so eager to permit me have their body.” Jared cups the sides of the slim neck, then soothes his furry cheek over Jensen's face. “...you don't have to act like a wanton slut for me to want to be with you.”

Jensen aches with the way he can be with Jared now, rubbing his body and his hands over Jared's naked frame in the same manner. “Are Canus females ever this horny?”

“Some are, but it's not _just_ females. It's males too.”

“You _can_ mate with males?” Jensen feels the twitch to his anus muscles again.

Jared draws backward to lean weakly on the ledge of the slab he crawled off of. “You must not be as far along in the sex books, if you're not aware of Canus breeding practices, the various ways they can mate.” He slowly tugs Jensen closer to his warmth, which is strange that he would be warmer with much less skin-fur covering his body. 

Jensen closes his eyes as he sinks against Jared's chest. “You mean that 'Alpha', 'Beta' and 'Omega' stuff?” This...this is the kind of stuff he's been waiting for. Able to feel Jared's true human form surrounding him, unclothed, and, maybe one day...aroused or becoming aroused just like he is aroused.

Jared's been alternating slide his cheeks against both of Jensen's, trying to sniff around the bare neck and down the nape to the back of the shirt's collar. “...so, you _do_ know?”

Jensen is beginning to tingle all over—something about this shorter skin-fur that just adds more of a turn-on...like feathers brushing against his bare skin. “eh, I may have skipped over parts to reach the dirty illustrations.” He keeps bending and turning his head so Jared can tuck and nuzzle different spots on him. It's different being intimate when standing upright, better when both parties can lay down and wrap around one another and roll about tangled sheets and a pillowy mattress

Jared snickers from deep within his belly, his hands moving down Jensen's body to try and tickle to caress in a softer touch that's barely there, especially using his blunt nails. “I love your mind, and your willingness to let it sink below your belt to baser needs.”

“hey...” Jensen plants his forearm on Jared's chest to pull away slightly to look into hazel eyes. “I thought it was tough learning I liked _cock_. Who knew the ' _type_ ' of cock I liked would be my downfall.”

Jared moves back to reach for the bottles of oil. “...let's do this together. Maybe it'll go faster. I've been in this place long enough.”

Just to be on the safe side, Jensen takes off every piece of clothing but his tight boxers. As they pour oil in their palms, when they coat Jared's skin-fur, they also wipe down Jensen's skin. Sometimes it's because Jared moves around to slink his body to shape and brush Jensen: curling around from front to kiss the back of the bare nape, then conforming to the small of the back, while enclosing his oil-slicked arms around Jensen. Jensen can't help but get turned on at the start, but as he's able to put his mind in a “zone”, it stops being purely sexual and simply erotically intimate. His hole does contract and expand, only because Jared's sheathed cock rubs over his backside at the right angle.

Jensen carries Jared's clothes over to him, then decides to dress as well. Just as Jensen settles his shirt on his torso, and Jared buttons his own shirt to leave the top two undone, the commotion of the other Canus guards sound as they enter for their after-work showers and grooming. 

Jared greets Michael and Thomas with a simple nod and lift of his chin; Christian and Chad follow behind. Jared steps forward, keeping Jensen at his back as he wanders over to meet with Christian, then asks how Chad's doing. Before Chad joins Michael and Thomas in the shower room, Jared is playful and friendly with the young Canus guard, making the Omega preen with pride. Once he's gone to the locker room to undress, Jared and Christian wander off to speak in private.

Jensen tries not to feel a sudden bout of jealousy, or feeling slightly envious of the freedom Jared has to show his affections to the young guard, then to Christian. He had quietly acknowledged Chad with a simple look and a sweet smile' it had pained him to do so since he doesn't know the scope of why Jared is so adoring and obviously attached. Jensen wonders if he should just leave, because the other two Canus guards had stared at him like he had been a prime piece of raw steak.

“uh, Jared...I'm gonna jus'...I'll go.” Jensen waves a hand from the side of his body. “See you up at the house.”

Jared frowns slightly, then straightens. “Fine. But I want you to lay out all of your schoolbooks an' tell me what homework, or projects, you have for each.”

Jensen grumbles on his way out, looking over his shoulder at the two big strong CAG guards. He had seen them this morning, and up close they didn't look quite as menacing as they had in their workout cage. 

It isn't rare for Jared to help each Ackles child with homework. That's not what upsets Jensen. Jensen hates being shown as a submissive to Jared's dominance in front of other Canus. He doesn't want to throw out the “human” card, but at least he wants to be looked at as Jared's equal. Hopefully, someday he will be.

==&&==&&==&&==

When Jared finally does return to the house, he's cheerful and talkative with Josh and he's his usual attentive and affectionate self with Mackenzie. But with Jensen...there's a slight chilling tone. No one but Jensen can sense the change. It worries him because their prior moment in the bath with the oil had given him such nice dirty thoughts. He had wondered what was in store for them tonight in Jensen's bedroom. Now...he doesn't even think Jared wants to be near him.

Jared is finding every mistake in Jensen's homework and needles him to learn from his mistakes. He acts like he's bothered by the constant need to check, then finding every mistake or that he annoyed by Jensen himself. Jared keeps leaving the room. He'll be jovial with Mackenzie, nuzzle and rub her face, then instantly bolt from the room with barely a glance toward Jensen. Jensen feels sick to his stomach. Obviously, it's something Jensen has done or had done prior to coming home. Jared is close to the smaller Canus guard, Christian, who drove for his father. Jensen wonders if Christian had seen him do something and told Jared, but what could it have been? Had they found out about him asking Chad to be his permanent bodyguard?

Jensen finishes with his homework, then starts in on his essay for Social Studies. He even does the question and answer quizzes after the chapter he reads. When Jared hadn't returned, Jensen was alone as Mackenzie finished up her workbooks, then slips out of her chair to take off and find someplace to watch television. Jensen leaves his homework out for Jared to check later, then wanders through the house to head outdoors. It has been weeks since he even thought about physical activity. He goes looking for Josh and asks him if he wants to shoot hoops in their basketball court, play a little one on one. Jensen really wants to search for Jared, but rationalizes it's better that he gives him some space. Jared rarely falls into rages for no good reason, but Jensen does know the Alpha Canus can get extremely passionate.

Alan Ackles finally arrives home, or he had been hiding in his upper offices only to come down for dinner with his children. It's a somber, stilted affair, like most of their family occasions are. One that often leaves each child on the edge. The only one who doesn't feel weird is Alan. Mackenzie wants to know why Jared isn't eating with them; Josh informs the whole table, but talks directly to his little sister that Jared is busy in his office making very important phone calls and catching up on all the work he brought with him form his trip away.

As the staff clear away plates and ask if the children would like a bit of dessert, Jared finally does make an appearance, but he signals to Josh that he's prepared for their talk; he stands at the opening of the kitchen from the small hallway that's close to his bedroom. He waits for the older boy to approach him, leaning on the doorway, hands in the pockets of his Khaki trousers.

Josh smiles with a bit of pleasure on his face, relieved to be leaving the tension-filled room, then stands to push in his chair. “Can you bring that coffee and, maybe, a slice of that pie to Jared's office, please....thanks, Eileen.” He glances toward his father, wiping sweaty palms over his denim-covered legs. “...g'night, father.”

Alan has been digging through the stack of mail he had taken out of his briefcase he brought to the table. “You going out tonight, Josh?”

“No, sir.” Josh is a bit stunned by the bark of a comment toward him. He thinks he can escape so easily like all those other times. “After Jared and I talk, I thought I'd head to bed early. Have a tough class to get through tomorrow.”

“mmm...well...” Alan rolls his wristwatch around to look at the time. “...you and I should _talk_ soon.”

Josh feels enough optimism to think Alan actually wants to know why he moved off-campus to return home. “uh, yeah...yeah...we should.” For some silly reason, he goes on to give away a bit of his schedule for the week, as if his father will see him that soon. “I have one morning class on Thursday, if that's early enough for—”

“I'll have to check my schedule, but it's do-able.” Alan drags over his Blackberry and begins to scroll through a few lists, then types with his thumb—like he's penning his own son into his daily routine and have his secretary give him a call. “I want you to spend 24hrs with me. Shadow me as I move throughout my day at the offices.” He pushes one last button on his keypad, then looks up to give a smile at his oldest son from above his bifocals. “No time like the present to start learning the ropes of the family business.”

Josh tries not to look crestfallen. He should know better that his father really doesn't care much, only that he makes it home, can get his elder son under his thumb and start the process of following Alan Ackles' footsteps. “...sure-sure...sounds—good...” Josh turns his half-smirk toward his younger brother. They share a look to their eyes of mutual understanding to how much of an asshole their father can be without realizing it. “...'night, Jen.” He moves toward his little sister, bending low to give her messy kisses and a tight cuddle. She giggles and squirms in her chair, looking toward where Jared is near the doorway.

Jensen and Mackenzie watch the two men meet one another, talking in low-timbered voices they can't hear. Jared slides a friendly arm around Josh's shoulders as they laugh and share quips toward one another like an uncle would to his nephew. Jared has a tendency to muss Josh's hair to which then Josh will try to punch Jared as hard as he can [ _it never is hard enough_ ] or he tackles him from the back and climbs on top of him to muss Jared's own perfectly coiffed mane of hair. The two siblings left behind look on in a pathetic sense of doom as they are stuck with Alan, who picks up the evening newspaper and blocks out them even being at the table.

As Jensen thinks about his older brother's departure, his heart goes sad for Josh. He, too, feels like their father would've opened himself a bit more to learn _who_ his oldest son was, instead of molding him to be just like himself. Sometimes Jensen hates being the middle son, other times he doesn't mind. He would hate to have the added pressure of firstborn heir. It's almost like life handed Jensen a “get outta jail free” card, like in Monopoly, and he hadn't even known he had it to use until he was old enough to understand what kind of family he had been born into. 

Jensen scrapes the finally smears of his pie off his plate and drinks the last of his warm milk. He looks across toward Mackenzie and sees that she can't eat the whole slice and the ice cream too. She doesn't appear sick, she looks preoccupied. He wonders if his father even notices Mackenzie's subtle changes. Probably not. The last time Jensen recalls Alan holding his sister was the day Jared was shot.

Mackenzie starts to tap her fork on her plate in an annoying manner and Jensen decides he better step in. “I have her, sir.”

“Thank you, son, ” comes muffled from behind the newspaper print.

And just as Jensen stands, back turned as he hurries to help finish his sister's dessert...Alan Ackles picks up everything he had brought with him and leaves the dining area—his dirty dishes and garbage still strewn over the place setting. 

Everyone seems to have vanished, leaving Jensen alone to tend to Mackenzie.

“That mother fu—” Jensen pauses before he swears or gives Mackenzie any indication of his anger. “Wanna go watch some TV? Or play a board game?” 

Mackenzie climbs to plant her feet on her seat, then launches herself into his arms, precariously clinging like a monkey to its mother. “...'m kinda sleepy, jen...”

Jensen finds a reason to laugh because of her silly antics. “You think you're ready for bed?” He doesn't know how he manages to stand, cupping the back of the blonde head as she drapes herself over both his shoulders, burying her face away in his neck. Mackenzie gives a weak nod of her head as she tucks in her arms between their chests. As he curls an arm around her bottom, Jensen quietly cleans up the table of dirty dishes, knowing he should've called for the staff or left it for them, but he feels like doing as much as he can so he won't get in more trouble.

He tilts his own head on the blonde curls as he walks out of the kitchen to take Mackenzie upstairs to her bedroom. It's a massive relief that she's so weary because she's extremely cooperative or maybe she simply liked being with Jensen; he has no idea because they've always gotten along as brother and sister. Jensen feels a bit like her mother, from time to time, though he knows Mackenzie doesn't see him as anything but _Jensen_. He makes her brush her teeth, makes sure she doesn't have to use the potty and asks her if she feels like she wants a bath or to wait until morning. 

Jensen hopes it's okay that he has taken Mackenzie to bed. Jared is usually the one who tucks her in, but Jensen has to do his damnedest to be just as spectacular. Never quite as amazing, though, he's fully aware. 

Jensen is nearly as sleepy as his sister by the time he gets her into her nightgown, snuggled under covers and attempting to read her a bedtime story. She hasn't asked once where Jared is, but does whimper off and on as if she's missing a part of her own body. But then she turns herself into Jensen's side, and suddenly she's all better. Jensen can understand the things Mackenzie must be feeling. Not only had she shut her eyes to fall asleep, but so had Jensen. In fact, he slinks down on the mattress—so tiny—with the over-large storybook on his chest, and his body wrapped around his baby sister as she slumbers.

==&&==&&==&&==

This is how Jared finds them...and lets the last of his frustrations go. He hadn't truly been angry or upset with Jensen. A bit disappointed and very much agitated. Christian hadn't been trying to stir up trouble, but he wanted Jared to be aware that from now on Jensen would need to close his windows and shut curtains when the Canus guards were using the training facilities in the backyard. Jensen may have only been naively unaware of parading around nude in front of the two hornier CAGs, but there was a need to squelch that idea before it even flourished. 

Jared would need to either talk directly to Michael and Thomas or somehow publicly declare that Jensen is off-limits to the Alphas—Jared doesn't know what to think, or do, for that matter. He isn't even sure if the incident had been on purpose or an accident. He hates assuming the worst, that Jensen pushes the last button with him about sex and knotting. He wants to believe Jensen truly doesn't know or wasn't even aware of what he had been doing.

It's tough to know how to react, then how to act around Jensen. He doesn't truly posses Jensen to the point of being “mated”. It's achingly clear Jensen is human not Canus...and Jared is Canus, not fully human. They can't be “mates” like Jared can be with another Canus; they can't be “boyfriends” like Jensen can be with another young male, or an older one. Jared can't drag Jensen into either of their bedrooms, serve punishment and then lay “claim” on what he thinks to be his only—in reality, Jensen is not _his_ to have. And when Jared can't stand being around Jensen, not being allowed to be free and open enough to treat him as a submissive mate, he simply takes himself out of the moment. Granted, it always looks like Jared is hiding somewhere in the house, but this time he truly had to make some phone calls, files to peruse and cases to glance over.

His private talk with Josh had been great, if not eye-opening. Josh had lost his living quarters at the dormitories because he had stood up for a Canus student body that was being treated unfairly. His scholarship money had been cut-back for the next semester, so he had to lessen his class load, then move back home. Nothing too illegal or damaging that would catch the government's eye, but Josh had only wanted Jared to know in case it had come up through the grapevine in the District. Then Josh randomly asked what the plan was about Mackenzie. Jared had told him exactly what he was going to do, or what was tentative at the moment. After he had spoken, Josh had added a few comments, offering himself as a go-between or if Jared needed any kind of cover to protect Mackenzie. He had agreed that Alan can't be told until after Mackenzie transitioned completely. This was mostly for her own health and safety.

That had been a half hour ago, and then Jared had remembered he should've gone to check on Mackenzie. It hadn't even occurred to him that he and Josh would've left Jensen alone with his sister. 

Jared nears the bed-frame stealthily, taking the book off Jensen’s chest and places it back in the shelf it belongs in. Traipsing back to bedside, Jared removes Jensen’s arm and his left leg from around the little lump of newly-forming Canus. Jensen rolls onto his back, blinking wearily at Jared. He makes a noise under-breath, about to raise himself to his elbows, but Jared's too quick in fitting his arms under shoulders and knees to begin carrying him out of the room, cradled to his chest wall. Jensen makes a high-pitched squeal of shock, excited but scared to what Jared could have in store for him when they're alone. He locks both arms around Jared's neck, hiding his face in the niche of neck and shoulder, petting down the mane of triple-layered brown locks.

“ _sshhh—ssshhh_...I've got you...hold on...”

Jensen closes his eyes as Jared somehow carries him out of his sister's room and into his own bedroom, managing to turn on and off several lights on his way, and open and close doors, able to set locks too. He thinks Jared will put him down on the bed the same way he gathered him into his arms, but once they were at the foot of the bed-frame, Jared bends to the left to yank off every single cover and sheet. Once they're on the floor, he sends Jensen airborne to bounce and land on his back in the middle of the plush springs. Jared drops on one knee and advances on Jensen, who inches backward on the bed to nearly reach the pillows and headboard. Jared grabs one ankle, then tugs Jensen back to his old position. Jensen goes still, his body stiffening and his arms unmoving as they splay on the fitted sheet under him. He starts to heavily breathe, then a little panting as he feels his heart race, blood pounding in his ears. 

Dear God—this was it...

This is the _Alpha_ in Jared that Jensen rarely has a glimpse of. This is the _Alpha_ who will knot his Omega and spill bucket loads of come inside his mate's body and create life. Jensen begins to shiver, from the inside of his thighs up through his groin and torso; he forms his hands into fists, tucking his thumbs into his palms to prevent his nails from cutting into his skin.

Jared uses both knees to kick Jensen’s legs wider as he dominoes forward, crawling on knuckles alongside the sunken body. He bends over, face close to jean material and he starts from right foot up the leg to knee into inner thigh over groin and along chest to end looming over Jensen’s startled and wide-eyed face.

“...are you tryin' to _hurt_ me?”

Jensen shakes his head, unable to speak with the clog in his throat.

Jared nods his head in acceptance, believing Jensen’s word. “Do you think me your _toy_ , then?”

Jensen's face goes blank, brow frowning deeply. “—whut?” The voice sounds small, frightened.

Jared shuts his lids, unable to watch the literal fear in those darkening green eyes. He soothes his furry cheeks along Jensen's upper chest, nudging his head left to right to nuzzle along straining neck muscles. “...if _this_ is what you want...” He nips at bare skin, causing Jensen to cry out and gasp. “...then I'm your Alpha an' you must obey every one of my demands...”

Jensen swallows nervously. “...y-y-yesss...”

“...yes,— _what_?” Jared bites gently on a loose stretch of skin along shoulder bone.

“...yes...” Jensen can't help but want to roll his hips in anticipation of being thrust against. “...a-a-alpha...”

Jared releases Jensen's skin, then licks to nudge until Jensen arcs off the mattress. Jensen brings in his arms to his body, resting them on his chest to turn them palms out so he can lay them flat and fingertips can touch, caress. Jared rests his cheek on the side of Jensen's face, lips pressing to an ear. 

“ _...tomorrow morning...I want you to meet me in the backyard...I want you completely naked...I want you heavily lubed with one of your doggy cocks filling your hole...I want you to walk by my side to the workout ring near the shack and get on all fours like a good little bitch...I want you to cry out when I pull out the dildo from your hole, then allow me to fuck you as many times as I feel like in front of each of the Canus guards...I want you screaming at the top of your lungs that you're mine and no one else's...maybe I'll fuck you one at a time with each guard instead of all at once..._ ”

The silence between them is deafening...and Jensen has leaked pre-come and came a little in the middle of Jared's dirty monologue. God—so hot—the image. He closes his eyes, swallows again and says in reply in as deep of a voice as he can muster, “...what _time_ in the mornin'?”

Jared hadn't expected that from Jensen, which is why he goes from secretly smiling to outright snickering unable to keep a straight face. “...god...m'sorry...” He slides down, his forehead pressing to Jensen's chest; his paws shape Jensen's torso. He raises eyes to look at Jensen as the head slowly turns to him.

It dawns on Jensen what's happened. “...you don't _really_ plan on fucking me in front of them, do you?”

Jared smirks, shaking his head. “...but I got you hot and hard, didn't I?” He lets his paw-pads trail down to eventually scent and feel the wetness. “...awww...my poor baby...” Jared leans over to rub his cheeks on Jensen's exposed belly. “...I'm kind of a mean Alpha, aren't I?” Gazing up at Jensen, he winks playfully.

“I'd do it...” Jensen can't be anything but serious. “...if you really wanted me to.”

“I'm not like other Alphas, Jensen.” Jared is already disagreeing that it will take place. “Even if you did your worst, I'd never subject you to that kind of public humiliation.”

“...but _they_ wouldn't.” Jensen is realizing what point Jared was trying to make, even though it's underhanded and sneaky to use his hormonal state as a means to make him pay attention. “Is _that_ what you're getting at?”

Jared slides up to lay even with Jensen on his right side. “Michael and Thomas saw you this morning. In these windows behind me. Naked as the day you were born. They know of our connection...” He motions between their chests, then allows his hand to trail down the side of Jensen's body, hooking at the back of the left leg's thigh to place on his body. “...our companionship, but somehow they don't believe that you're really mine to have.” Jared can scent the subtle shift in Jensen's scent to show that he released semen. He licks his lips and nudges Jensen's face in affection.

“Wouldn't taking me scent me as ' _yours_ '?” Jensen feels static when Jared takes him into his arms after he's come, especially with the newly shorn skin-fur. He thought he had read somewhere about “claiming/marking” for mated Canus.

Propped on his left elbow, Jared stares down at Jensen as he rolled him onto his back, planting knees so he can flip to the right side [ _Jensen's left_ ]. “Why is sex and knotting so important to you?”

Jensen doesn't understand why Jared isn't on the same wavelength as him on this point, maybe it's because they are so different that Jared truly does fear hurting Jensen with his knot. “Why isn't it important to you?”

Jared sighs, landing on his right side to lay lower than Jensen. “...years of stud breeding.” He closes his eyes to recall the sights, sounds and smells of those pens he, and other Canus guards, had been in for almost two hours being coaxed and coerced into giving over sperm for the greater good of all Canus. “I really don't know.” Jared shakes his head and looks off into the distance as he makes his face go numb of expression. “What's actually important always comes into focus each day I spend on Canus grounds in the District.”

“I don't know why I'm so obsessed.” Laying on his back, Jensen glances at Jared and notices how focused he is on a spot on the wall; he's drifted away again, thinking about his old life at the compound when he was younger, before he became CAG. “I've never—I'm not a sexual person...” He throws his hands up in forgiveness. “...unless I really care about someone.” He twists his head around o the bed to reach out and lay a hand on Jared's chest, over his heart. “The only affection I've known is from you.” Jensen takes his hand away because even his touch couldn't make Jared react to him. “Maybe it's unhealthy for me to fixate.” He's about ready to flip over and roll off the mattress, but Jared has quicker reflexes and tugs him back on the bed, near to his chest wall. “Maybe I should've thought of taking my father's offer of that private boarding school.”

Jared rises to his elbow as one arm stays around Jensen's waist. “Forcing you to live away from home won't kill the issue.” he bows his head in a somber thought. “Besides, I'd never have let you leave the only home you've known...” _I'd never let you leave..._ ** _me_** , is what he truly wanted to claim out loud. Jared bends to nuzzle the side of Jensen's face and hair. “If this was truly an issue for me I can't bear...which it's not.”

“I swear, Jared...” Jensen turns onto his back, he twisting to face Jared as he shifts low to almost lay directly in front of Jensen. “...it was the furthest from my mind to flash myself through the windows. I heard them rattle the links and...” He drops his gaze in mild shame. “I do admit to staring at them at first, but I eventually thought of you.” This time Jensen will touch Jared and he knows he'll react. “Of watching your workouts and fights. How you looked—half-dressed and sweaty.” He lifts his hand to touch the old scar crossing the dark eyebrow at the very end. “Those times you let me touch your bruises and cuts, kissing them better.” He knows that underneath the shirt Jared wears are the faded bullet wounds of his near-fatal shooting, so, for now, he'll just touch the warm solid chest wall. “After a while I wasn't getting hard; I was flaccid...an' I stood to collect my things and go into the shower. I forgot about them the whole time I was standing there. I promise you...” He stutters to dip his fingers under the open collar to feel the hairless strong pecs and bulging muscles. “...do you believe me?”

“I want to, but you're not helping your case by acting out of control with your hormones.” Jared is a little put-off when Jensen takes his hand away from his body. He notices that it's sinking into Jensen’s head that fun and games are over; he had taken the situation too far and put their easy trust in one another in jeopardy. Jared wants to pull Jensen back, tell him he really did believe he was being honest—Jared knows how spacey Jensen can be when he had nothing but the whole idea of knotting on his brain. He can understand Jensen not knowing anything had been going on or that someone had been watching nearby.

Jensen twists off his back, moisture gathering in his eyes as he brings up his right arm to throw over his eyes. “I'll make it up to you...you'll see.” He's barely saying the words out loud, but Jared's ear is sharp enough to hear. Jensen shuffles off the bed, sitting on the side as he takes off his socks. He stands to slide down his ruined jeans, taking off his rumpled t-shirt. He slowly wanders over to a dresser, pulling out clean boxers and his usual white tank-t. He sniffles, wiping his arm under his nose as he carries everything to the bathroom with him.

It takes everything in Jared not to follow, not to cuddle and nudge in sweet forgiveness. But if Jensen wants _any_ part of this relationship with him there has to be strict roles held and stricter rules to follow. He waits a bit until he hears the running water, and then he climbs off the mattress to pick up the flat sheet and the comforter from the floor, putting them both back on the bed. He folds the hems back to open both sides. Letting the piles of covers line the bottom half of the mattress. He unbuttons his shirt, sliding more easily out of the sleeves with the shorter skin-fur on his skin. He drapes it over his arm to pick up all of Jensen's dirty clothing. He thinks about entering the bathroom, but he can hear the sounds of Jensen brushing his teeth. Jared chooses to keep his pants on as he moves to return to the bedside he prefers, which is the one Jensen typically sleeps on when he's alone. Jared relaxes back against the headboard, crossing his ankles as he waits for Jensen to finally exit.

 

**== &&==&&==&&==**   
**TBC...**


	7. Chapter 7

Jensen does, turning off the bathroom light and moving along the darkened room to come up the side of the bed he isn't used to sleeping on. He doesn't complain, because Jared no longer pulls out the sleeping mat but sleeps in his bed now. He settles down on his back, low on the pillows and folds his hands over his belly. 

Jared looks over and down at Jensen. “I had a really good talk with Josh.” 

“...yeah?” Jensen is glad. Jared is such a great listener and supporter in times of strife and worry. 

“I think he's scared a scandal might be about to bite him in the ass.” Jared is stunned that Jensen doesn't ask his usual twenty questions. “Has he told you why he came home?” 

“No. Not really.” 

“Do you care to know?” 

“If it matters to me or could somehow hurt me or Josh—sure...otherwise, I don't need to know.” 

Jared can comprehend that choice. Josh's actions might indirectly harm the family, but not Jensen directly. “How was dinner with Alan?” 

When Jensen realizes Jared is trying to get him to have a conversation, to communicate—no fighting before bed—he grabs a spare pillow, rolling to his side, facing Jared and curls into his body as he uses the pillow as a buffer between them. “...okay. The usual. Nothing too exciting.” 

Jared flips to almost lay facing Jensen. He doesn't like the pillow-thing, but he allows Jensen the space for the time being. “...good or bad?” 

“Indifferent. Bad for Josh. Josh thought he was being asked to talk with Dad about college and why he's home. Instead...it's about ' _Alan Ackles_ ' and the ' _family business_ '...” 

“...yes.” Jared nods his head emphatically, remembering that the young man had some witty remarks toward his father. He had thought to what had set Josh off on a tangent. “I think Josh did take a few sarcastic jabs at Alan. Now I know why.” 

Jensen rests his cheek on the plushness he's hugging. His lids are getting heavy as he yawns once he speaks, “—I'd do what I could to get him off Josh's back, but—” 

Jared rolls backward to reach over the night stand and switch off the bedside lamp. “What do you mean?” He turns back to scoot low and fidget closer to Jensen. 

Jensen feels like his thought is idiotic, putting himself in place of his older brother, but he's never told anyone; it's silly to not keep the honesty between he and Jared. “When I was little, before you were here, I can remember being jealous of Josh. Something about a firstborn son—an heir—that changes someone. I can't forget the imbalance, how Josh had both mother and father...how Dad took Josh everywhere when he was old enough to show off proudly. I wasn't treated cruelly, I just felt shorted. Mom started thinking about her career again and while Josh got to do cool things, I got to see what it was like to be Alan Ackles' wife.” He gives out a soft snort and a shake of his head, closing his eyes to go on, “...she would tell me she loved me, but then leave me to watch myself or with a bunch of strangers I had to quickly bond with. Josh and I had begun to fight one day—not a physical one, but words were said that needed to come out and feelings were hurt, bruised...but we finally knew neither of us were happy.” Jensen blinks to then lift his lids higher to look up at Jared looming slightly above him. “We found out the other's relationship with our parent wasn't what we had thought.” 

“Josh resented your closeness to Donna?” Jared reaches out to lay a paw on Jensen’s pillowcase. 

Jensen sighs with the shake of his head. “She and I weren't close. I was a burden to her most of the time and then I was her alibi. She bought me things to shut me up.” 

Jared puts out a few fingers to pet over Jensen's hand, to test whether or not Jensen will accept his caress or flinch away. “She kept her love at bay to fill you with material possessions.” He starts combing through Jensen's shorter locks, feeling the moisture from having washed all the product out of it. 

“I don't blame her. Neither does Josh. A victim of circumstance.” Jensen yawns again, closing his eyes. “She did have some good talks with me, only because she really had no one else to vent to. I found out what my parent's marriage was actually about, learning how she didn't want Josh to turn into a mini-Alan Ackles. She wasn't worried about me because she told me I was just like her, even in looks. I could break free and find my own path in life.” He reopens his lids to look at Jared again, almost staring at him to understand. “But the older I get, the more I see Josh trying to be the first of us kids to break out of our father's hold, I want him to go—to have that freedom of choosing.” Jensen gives out a lazy, sleepy smile to show he's all right...he's not upset or angry at Jared. “I'll be happy to stay here, take his place. I can be just as good as Josh would've, taking over the family business.” 

Jared blinks slowly, feeling a shared pain of Jensen's deep need for Alan's approval, just one word of love or an ounce of feeling. “But would it make you _truly_ happy? To be like Alan?” 

Jensen lifts up one side of his mouth in a smirk. “I'd be here. With you. Forever.” He stretches out his hand for Jared to take, wanting his touch before he gets lost in dreamland. “As long as you stay here at home. And I wouldn't run the company like my father does, because I'm not him.” Jared does take the offered hand but he also slides to lay above Jensen's pillow. 

Jared feels emotions choke his throat and his eyes begin to water as he forces himself to avert his head. He moves to soothe his cheeks on top of Jensen’s head. “...no...no...you would be nothing like Alan. You'd be an even better boss than him because you'd care about others. You wouldn't see only the money, but building relationships to achieve success together.” 

“Sad thing is, he'll never give me the chance. I'd do it, too...without him even asking me.” 

“I know. I know you would.” Jensen is highly affection with Jensen like how he used to be when he was younger, when they first got to know one another, both scared of how the other might or might not like them. It's taken them a very long and winding road to get to here, where they can share the same bed in tranquil peace and silence. “You're such a good son.” 

Jensen goes quiet, burying his face away in the pillow and squeezing his hand into a fist. Jared simply sinks further on top of Jensen's dark blond head, inhaling the odor of the strands and tightens his grip around Jensen's fist. It eventually opens once Jensen falls asleep, so that he can tangle their fingers together and hold on tight. 

==&&==&&=== 

Christian wanders out of the shower, meaning to head into the skin-fur dryer when he steps out to take a quick peek into his bedroom. His bed is still empty, usually by now Chad is on it, or under the covers. Furrowing his brow, he finger-combs back his long mane of brown-blacks and blue-blacks to secure a towel around himself, noticing he's slightly hard and popping out from the hot shower he just took. He hadn't jerked off because he had some idea Chad would be in the next room. So now he's left with a semi-erection wanting to spring forth. He does a quick shake of his body to start walking out of his room into the hallway. 

Chad's door is closed; Christian doesn't think it's locked. He tries the knob before he knocks, but he doesn't get an answer. He lets himself in, peering in to glance around, but he can't find any sign of Chad. It's strange, because he knows Chad isn't outdoors nor is he pulling security duty tonight. Christian backs out of the darkened room, then stands in such a way where he shuts his eyes and turns one of his pointed ears toward whatever sounds he might hear. And sure enough, he can hear muffled breathing that's heavily labored and deep. He steps into Chad's room, looking about, eventually he notices the pieces of blanket peeking out from under the bed. Christian smiles, shaking his head as he wanders over, squatting to his knees to look underneath to where Chad is attempting to sleep. He must be having those nightmares or night terror fits, unable to stand being alone in his own bed. 

Christian makes a decision, then and there, that Chad will come with him, no matter how much he puts up a fight. He grabs one or two of Chad's pillows and ventures back over to tug very gently on the thick material to pull Chad entirely from under the bed. Christian stares down at the slumbering Canus, stunned to find Chad still dressed in some of his clothes. Like if he couldn't find peace and calm sleeping, he would've left the house and gone for a walk or drive. 

Christian doesn't want to startle Chad so he hops over to lay on part of the comforter, facing him. All that can be seen is the tufts of Chad's blond hairs, but beneath the blanket, Chad's lungs expand and contract with each heavy breath he takes. Christian reaches out to yank back the fabric to expose the face—Chad doesn't wake—and then he extends his paw to brush back the thick mane, tracing down the soft blond hairs on the cheeks. He's tempted to trace over the lips, but the head starts to move, the body and arms jerking and preparing to struggle. 

" ** _NO!_** " Instantly, Christian grabs for broad shoulders, holding Chad down to prevent him from clawing or punching him. "...ssshhh-ssshhh...i's only me, Chad...i's Chris." 

"Wha-? Where-?" Chad allows himself to be held down on his back, eyes curiously wide to why he's on the floor beside his bed and not in it. And why Christian is laying on him to prevent him from moving. 

"Say my name, Chad." Christian cups the side of the neck to have Chad connect eyes with him to make certain he's focused and alert. 

"...Chris...” Chad belts out in hard puffs of air, trying to even out his panting. “Christian—you're Chris..." 

“Do you know where you are?” Once Christian has Chad staring directly at him, he tries to lift his chin higher. 

"...uh-huh. My bedroom—guardhouse...Ackles property." 

"...good- _good_..." Christian slides down to allow Chad's arms to be freed, but he remains on the lower limbs so Chad doesn't injure his hip with sudden jerky motions right out of sleep. He tucks his hand under to find the exact hip bone in question and begins to massage the sore joint. "Take your time getting up. I found you under the bed again, on the floor. I don't know how long you've been under there." He doesn't say much else, letting it sink into Chad's mind. "I've got two of your pillows..." He tenderly pats the hip, then bends to soothe the side of his face over Chad's hands resting on his chest. 

"Chris, I..." Chad's stutters to attempt to explain himself as best he can, even though he doesn't remember much prior to falling asleep, then the dream itself. 

"Don't refuse.” Christian shakes his head, not willing to hear Chad snipping at him. “I'm not taking any of your excuses." 

“I'm not a baby.” Chad's a little shaken, unprepared for having Christian be so attentive and affectionate with him. “I can sleep on my own.” 

Christian lifts a lone eyebrow. "You think you can, an' I know you want to, but you need to move on past whatever _this_ is. You shoulda been cleared of these kinds of trauma or stress reactions." 

"I didn't-I swear, man...I didn't know I was under the bed." 

"Hey, hey...” Christian places a paw on Chad's chest to shake him to calm down. “I know, an' tha's what worries me most. I should have Jared brought in on this, but I thought it was just going to be one time. Then, eh,” He bows his head in a bit of disquiet. “maybe I thought I could handle this on my own." 

"...is _that_ why you want me in your bed?" Chad wrinkles his brow in doubt. 

Christian knows Chad would rather the need for him be because he _wants_ him—wants him to mate with, to knot him to fulfill some desire or return the love he feels. "What I want—is you safe, not sick or... _god forbid_...going rogue on me where I could've prevented it from happening." 

In mild frustration, Chad shimmies his body from under Christian to sit upright. He's not angry at himself or Christian, but more at those who had placed him in this situation. "I hate _them_. I hate their smug, bureaucratic faces as they pat me on the fuckin' head an' feed me their meds and hook me up to their machines—an' their endless questions 'bout what I'm thinkin' or feelin'...' _how are we today, Chad?_ '—like they're my fuckin' best fuckin' friend..." 

Christian knows where this type of mood stems from— _flashbacks_ , to Chad's time in the laboratories and coming back into a somewhat better working condition than how he was born. "You had another dream again?" He tentatively looks at Chad from under his lower lids. 

Chad shuts his lids, nodding his head on a solid bounce. "—sometimes I wonder if it's my subconscious makin' my conscious remember so I never forget what they did." He taps hard with his fists against his temples. "Sometimes I wonder if it's worth it, you know, still being among the living." 

“Chad...” Christian shakes his head to disagree wholeheartedly. “Stop it." 

"What do _you_ think?" Chad darts his eyes to Christian staring at him too hard, then averts his gaze in shame. 

" _What_? About you living?" 

"No, well, yeah, but...” Chad swishes his head from side to side, then goes back to gazing at Christian. “Mostly my worth in this life." 

"Chad, just...c'mon..." Christian waves his paw so he can grab for Chad and get them both off the floor and into his bedroom for the night. 

“No- _no_...” Chad puts up a paw-pad, refusing to move one muscle. “I wanna know _now_ —right here on my floor." He draws his knees to his chest, crossing ankles, as he points to the floor they're sitting on. 

Christian is a bit ticked off by Chad's sudden pissy attitude that he has no other means to use words or actions, except with his body. Getting on his knuckles, he crawls over Chad's body, making him dislodge arms and legs, causing him to lean far back, landing on elbow joints as Christian slides their cheeks together. He whimpers out, “—you wouldn't have this with me...” He swallows down a hard lump in his throat. "...an' I would miss the fuck outta you." Christian rubs their noses, skimming lips over to catch the frenzied breathing. 

Chad reaches up with one hand, no material to grapple so he cups a paw around Christian's throat. "Why do you always drag things down to _this_ level?” He softly pounds both fists above each breast bone. “You know you don't feel about me, the way I feel about you." 

Christian stares down at how perfectly Chad opens his body for him, like he's his exact match, fitting every niche like a puzzle piece. "I've never needed sex, or knotting a Canus to feel more Alpha than I want to." 

Chad lifts an eyebrow. "So, you sayin' you can be convinced?” The paw around the throat turns tender against warm skin-fur. “Coerced into—?" 

Christian draws away to look into Chad's wide eyes. "Well, I don't want to be alone. Certainly not toward the end of my life." He's had a problem lately of actually picturing a distant future with Chad right beside him, but never knowing quite where the Canus guard fits. 

Chad feels a smirk coming on, lifting one side of his mouth. "Is that happening soon?" 

"I hope not." Christian stifles out a hard laugh. 

"You saying, there's still time for you to love me?" Chad lightly teases as he drops his gaze. 

"Chad—" 

"Yes." Chad simply states as clear as a bell, answering a long ago question. 

"Huh?" Christian is confused by what Chad's agreeing to. 

"You're right.” Chad slowly nods his head as he starts to sit upright and places his paw on the floor to guide himself to rising. “I'm only being stubborn. Yes, I will go with you—to sleep, in your bed." 

Christian feels his face burn with a flush of heat. "You make me a very happy Canus, Chad." 

“mmm-hmm...” To himself, Chad rolls his eyes; he knows Christian says things to him just to placate his feelings. He groans as he climbs to his knees, then raises off the floor in intricate bends and twists of his sore joints. “Glad I'm good for _something_." 

" ** _Chad!_** " Christian gives a shocked expression from the place he sits on the floor, stunned when a hand is sent down to him to grab. He actually clamps Chad's forearm near the bend of the elbow so they will have to use both of their strengths in their whole limbs to lift Christian; Chad remembers to bend at the knees so he doesn't hurt his lower back. Christian is hefted quite effortlessly and lands a little spry on his feet. 

" ** _Oh-kay! oh-kay!_**...I'll stop with the negativity." Chad lets his hand trace seductively over the strong shoulder bone, then down the muscled chest wall. He loves the feel of the warm skin-fur against his paw pad, pretty sure the nipples hardening are because of the sensation of his own touch. “I need you to keep me in line from getting too grumpy.” He shakes his head sadly as he stares at Christian's chest. “I don't know why I'm so moody all of a sudden."” 

Christian clamps a strong hand on Chad's shoulder, steering him out of the room. "Did you take your suppressors?" He tosses him the comforter and chucks the two pillows at him; he knows what a snugglebug Chad can be sometimes in wanting to build a “nest” to sleep in when they're together in bed. 

"Yup.” Chad hugs everything to his chest, limping ahead of Christian. “ _Did_ ** _you_**?" 

"Yes, before my shift.” Christian trails behind Chad, watching that gait so he can make sure Chad is all right, that nothing looks out of the not-so-ordinary. He switches off the light and shuts the door partway. “I'll be waking earlier than usual to take my next dose, but I'm sleeping late since I have the morning off." 

"Midday shift again?" Chad waits at Christian's doorway to turn and keeping talking to him. 

"Yes. Michael and Thomas will be locking their doors.” Christian makes a wayward gesture to the door of the two other Canus guards, who will be going off their suppressants in the next few hours to be able to properly do their bodyguarding jobs as CAG officers at Master Ackles side; since they had arrived, years ago, they've shared one of the larger rooms upstairs. “They'll be with Master Ackles on his flight out of town." He wanders past Chad to enter his own bedroom. 

"Oh? _Where_?" Chad simply nonchalantly asks the question, hoping Christian remembers _not_ to answer him. 

"mmm, good one.” Christian smirks and winks, knowing Chad is always testing him to see if he recalls the rules of the CAG officer handbook. “I'm not supposed to tell anyone else." 

Chad nods his head, not afraid to admit he know the CAG officer handbook from front cover to the Appendix in the back. “You get a gold star for not breaking under pressure."” 

Christian really doesn't know that it even matters unless it's a true dire situation of one of them being taken hostage and mean, nasty cruel people trying to worm that information out of them. "I'll tell Jared to make a note in my employee record." 

"So...” Chad takes a seat on a chair that's placed against a wall, just wants to watch Christian move about the room. “...we're home alone again until—?" He figures Michael and Thomas will be gone a few days, but he seems to have judged wrong on that end. Or maybe it's wishful thinking to have the house alone with Christian. 

Christian turns from his dresser where he's rubbing a light layer of Canus body oil over his skin-fur as it's been allowed to air-dry. "Oh, they'll be back tomorrow, just cutting it close to midnight." 

"mmm, then _what_?” Chad furrows his brow in curiosity; he knows Christian's schedule by heart, he's simply making sure Christian knows it too. “You switch shifts with Thomas? Or is it Michael's turn?" 

"I don't know.” Christian shrugs one shoulder after another as he rubs oil down his chest and then reaches around to his back. “I've got a few CAGs coming in for interviews. Master says he'll need extra guards coming up, but...I think he wants to start working us in pairs." 

"What?” Chad springs out of the chair to move toward Christian, picking up the oil bottle so he can help reach the back area, more up near the broad span of the shoulder blades, then down the indent of the curved spine. “Like partners?" 

"I suppose." Christian turns to show his back to Chad, leaning on his dresser-top surface. 

"Well, you know Dumb and Dumber will join forces..." 

Christian chuckles softly, peering over a shoulder to Chad. "Eh, I'm not so sure it'll work out that easily." 

"Oh? Then how will it work?" Chad alternates with each paw as he massages the oil down left side to right. He won't remove the towel because he knows that's too sensitive an area for him to mess with. 

"Two Canus guards on shift at all times.” Christian presses his face onto his biceps as he looks at Chad. “No one works with the same guard too often." 

Chad lifts eyebrows in perplexity. "Cut down on regularity?" He wonders what's about to happen, and if this means anything to do with his shift. 

Christian folds his arms, then opens one of his paws to use the other to massage the paw-pad. "hmm, maybe complacency, monotony and maybe even getting too familiar with routine so there's no chance of one of the guards slipping." 

Chad undergrips Christian's biceps, turning him to face straight and he puts down the oil bottle to help massage that paw that always seems to spasm late at night or when Christian has been too long at rest. "It's not gonna change my shift, is it?” He massages and soothes over the individual digits, then moves on to the rough paw-pad. “I kinda like my routine." 

"I don't know, Chad, we'll see.” Christian can feel that Chad is a bit too hard in his massaging or else his hand is a bit more achy than he had realized. He pulls his hand back to his body, making his way toward his bed; Chad follows suit, jumping backward on the mattress. Christian looks down at Chad, who starts to crab-crawl toward the headboard. “Jared and I will be bringing the CAGs in next week. Master Ackles wants to choose a handful—five of them, I think it is. This will put us at a staff of 8 officers." 

Chad snatches for his own pillows and the comforter. "Jesus, are we gonna bunk in rooms together?" 

"hehhe, no...I don't think so. I'm sure Master Ackles will be moving some of us to the main house." 

"Really?" Chad shows instant sorrow. 

"Relax, Chad.” Christian puts out a paw for Chad to calm down, then touches his chest to motion toward Chad. “ _If I go, you go with me_. There's no way Jared, or I, will leave you in a house full of Alphas." 

"Will we have separate rooms or, like now, sharing one bed?" Chad feels a bit giddy about the idea of sharing an actual bedroom with Christian, instead of running back and forth like it's a big secret. 

"Chad, we don't even know if the interviews will bring us new Canus guards. It'll be a long process before we make a decision like that." 

Chad settles down on the back of his calves, holding pillows to his body. "Do you _wanna_ room with me? If we move to the main house?" He shouldn't assume that Christian will always want everything he does when it comes to them together. 

Christian tugs at the sheets to throw the corner back so he opens up his side of the mattress. "Not if you're gonna be _this_ chatty, keeping me from my beauty sleep." He undoes the knot of his towel fabric, lets it fall to the floor and he spins to land on the bed on his bare bottom. 

"...oh-sorry..." Chad settles back in bed, watching Christian drop his towel and climb under the thin sheet to lay back on his side of the huge bed. For a split second, he catches sight of the half-erect cock that doesn't look like it's going to shrink anytime soon. 

Christian reaches up to switch off the bedside lamp, pulling the sheet to his shoulder as he turns on his left side to close his eyes and try to sleep. Trouble is...he can hear Chad's heavy breathing and that scent that's damnable enticing coming off the skin-fur, like it was some pricey musky cologne. He feels his testicles tighten and recede into his body as his cock elongates, pre-come seeping from the domed tip. Christian draws his right leg up, twisting to face the mattress. He shuts his lids tighter, pushing his face into the pillow. 

"Chris..." The voice breaks through, causing Christian to startle. 

"...w-w-what is it, man?" 

"I'm sorry. I couldn't—I looked—earlier, when you got into bed. I thought you took a shower." 

"I did." 

"—but you didn't—?" 

"I—couldn't...not knowing that you would be in the next room." 

" _My room_?" 

"No... ** _my_** room. Here, in this bed. Like you typically are when I come off-shift an' take a shower." 

Chad feels a cheap thrill knowing Christian expects him in his bedroom, in his bed. He scoots close to tuck his hand under the sheet to caress along the thigh of the bent leg. "...roll over to me...roll over an' let me take care of you for once." 

"This isn't the kind of 'care' we should be trading off on." 

"Don' worry. I'm used to one-sided relationships.” Chad presses the lower part of his face into Christian's shoulder blade, lightly kissing the skin-fur. “You give back to me when you feel like it. I don't want, or need, your pity." 

"oh, Chad..." 

"Come on, Alpha...you know you won't be able to sleep without getting rid of pent-up hormones." 

"This is so unfair to you. I don't like takin' sex an' not givin' back." Christian sighs in exasperation while swiping a paw down his face. 

Chad slinks up Christian's body to loom above so he can bend toward an ear. "Let me lay in your arms after you've come. Let me feel your body vibrate from the release, feel the soft bristles of you skin-fur brushing.” To show what he means, he rubs his chest against Christian's entire back. “...let me feel you in the aftermath an' that'll be payment enough." 

"It seems so small." Christian slowly begins to turn toward Chad behind him, not sure how to feel about the striking image of the Omega hovering above him makes him more aroused. 

"Trust me. In my mind, it'll be everything an' then some.” Chad places a paw flat to his chest. “I could die a happier Canus than you'll be." 

Christian looks up at Chad, fingers twirling in the golden strands. "Why do you suffice with so little for yourself? You deserve to be loved— _completely_...for you." 

Chad twists his head to kiss the inside of Christian's wrist. "Every Canus deserves to be loved, not just me. Stop stallin' an' roll the fuck over, Kane." He inches backward to give Christian room, and he peers down at the unsheathed cock with the swelling knot. " _What_ do you have?" 

"Huh?' 

"To stroke with." Chad seems stunned by Christian's play at ignorance. "Please don't tell me you're one of those Alphas who likes to hurt himself while stroking to orgasm." 

"...oh, yeah...uh, the sleeve in my drawer. But—" Too late. Chad is already stretching across Christian's body to reach the night stand and open the top drawer. 

What Chad finds is a real treasure trove of sexual goodies—more than anything, he is shocked by some of the sheer size of the dildos. "... _Chrissstiiiannn_..." He overextends the name in a manner that shows how speechless he is as he quietly sputters a snicker or two. 

"Dude, jus'...” Christian shoves playfully at Chad, wanting to get him off, away and out of that stupid drawer. “ ** _Get the fuckin' sleeve an' shut the god-damn drawer!_** " 

Chad discovers he has two choices: one without a reservoir tip and one with. He brings out both, just to be safe. He intentionally keeps his body plastered to Christian's skin-fur, rubbing accidentally as he resettles his frame beside him. He holds out both to let Christian make a decision; he doesn't know Christian _that_ well. "...which one do you think you'll want first?" 

Christian swallows hard, his thoughts jumbling because Chad had found his "toy" stash, never saying a single word, and now, he's assuming Christian will get off _more than once_. He takes the one with the tip, because his knot is seriously set to "bursting" shortly. The problem is...he's been hard and aroused for a while. A couple of tugs and he'll spew. He doesn't want to look like some amateur. 

"Want me to...?" Chad shapes his hand as if he can take the shape of the girth inside the sleeve in one paw. 

"No. I think I got _this_ , Chad." 

Chad sends out a hand, five-fingers spread, to soothe over Christian's bare chest. " _...ssshhh..._ don't jerk on your junk when you're tense like this." 

"I already know I'm not gonna last long." 

Chad wraps that hand around Christian's hand. "I can help you with that." 

" _...chad..._ " 

"I'm serious. You know how I feel 'bout you. Why would I do something to hurt or shame you?" 

"Not only is this not... _right_ , I'm Alpha. I'm supposed to—" Christian is interrupted by the mouth nipping at his neck, the face nudging his. He leans toward the touches, his eyes open and shut in slow-motion as he allows the sensations those lips do to him course through his body. "—not to mention, it's all-around bad form of me to use your feelings like this, for my own pleasure." 

"—not when I freely give it." Chad nibbles along a bare shoulder, down the chest to collar. "god, you're so beautiful..." 

"—don't- _don't_...” Christian places a paw-pad hard to Chad's right shoulder. “...you don't need to seduce me." 

Chad nudges into Christian's face and neck, tracing his nosetip down a mutton-chop. "Do you know how long I've waited to do this for you? How I've lain awake nights, wondering just how this moment would be?" 

"—I bet I was more willing." Christian eeks out a small smile. 

Chad chuckles, bringing his lips back over, sliding his cheek against Christian's. "You _are_ usually more cooperative. An' you also love me to distraction." 

Christian reaches up to steady Chad's head, grabbing pawfuls of blond locks so he can stare deeply into the eyes. "How 'bout if I like you intensely enough to miss you, worry about you when I can't find you in my bed, when I expect you to be there when you say you'll be there?" 

Chad beams, dropping his gaze as he tries to nod his head. "Tha's so much better than what I anticipated." He's unable to speak as Christian rubs both sides of their cheeks together, whimpering with a short thrust of his body and then he brushes their noses to lean brows together. "...god— _I love you so much_." Chad's fingers already cover Christian's parting lips. "Don't ruin my moment." Once he gets Christian's nod of acceptance, he takes away his finger to tilt the strong chin upward. He presses mouth to mouth in a soft point of pressure, pulling back to find Christian touching his own lips. "...tha's a kiss..." 

Christian lips still tingle, but in a good way—too good of a way. "I know. Why did you—?" 

Chad raises an eyebrow in peculiarity. "Oh, my...you've never..." 

Christian frowns in confusion, drawing his fingers away which just gives Chad an excuse to dip in again, but this time take those lips in a deeper and harder point of contact. Not only does Chad kiss rough but he sends paws down Christian's body to lift a leg to curl and hook high on his hip. Christian keeps his head still, eyes closing and his paws moving back to tangle at the back of Chad's mane of hair. He makes a noise under breath, whimpering from the stimulating contact of just lips and how the sensations fall straight to his groin. Chad tucks a leg between his thighs, drawing up to hit the apex, knee soothing under the dangling scrotal sac. When Chad finally tears away, he starts kissing down the shaved chin, nuzzling the soft skin-fur, then trails his mouth along the offered column of throat. 

" _...ohgod...ohmygod...never knew—I never knew..._ " Even as Christian revels in how Chad's kisses make him feel, he doesn't forget that Chad is still clothed. He sends paws down Chad's back to pull at the material. Suddenly, he wants nothing between them, nothing but one another's skin-fur. "Get undressed. Now." 

Chad works at untucking his shirt; Christian drops his paws to loosen the leather belt to undo the trousers. Chad has his button-down off as Christian drags both pants and briefs over the bare ass. Chad groans out when his own cock is freed, finally, and has to intake a sharp breath when he feels Christian's paws palm him in the rough pads. " _...jesus christ...unngghhh..._ " Chad swallows his need to cry out louder. 

"...is that for **_me_**?" Christian looks at Chad with a wry twist to his lips. 

"Yes, it is. Do you want **_it_**?" Chad nearly collapses in a heap as he feels tongue lick over his leaking tip. " _...no-no-no...oh god..._ " He shuts his eyes, thinking he'll be taken whole and sucked off soon. This isn't how he wants this moment to end. Chad wants to come in Christian's arm, but not from being serviced with a blowjob. 

They roll over; Chad is on his back, arms lifting to grab onto the headboard. Thankfully, Christian leaves the leaking cock alone, licking and biting tenderly up Chad's bare chest. He suckles and nibbles on the nipples, then adjusts so he's situated between quivering thighs. Christian thrusts gently into Chad, both cocks unsheathing and hard as rocks. They start moving their bodies together; Christian kisses up Chad's chest, licking over the collar bone and throat to take Chad's mouth under his own. He slides paws along the underside of both of Chad's arms, meeting pads and threading fingers to lay pad to pad. 

This kissing thing is addictive and it gives Christian this weird sensation in his body, not just being aroused and horny. He actually thinks he can zero in on how he really feels for Chad. Without realizing it, Chad's broken one of the bonds of their paws, grabbing for the sleeve with the tip and he's deftly fitting an arm between their bodies, encasing the pliable silicone around Christian's cock and knot. Chad does a slow jerk, but then lets the mesh of their bodies self-contain the sleeve. 

Christian hitches his breathing once he feels the sudden shift to pressure around his genitals. " _...ohfuck! oh fuckme!...oh god!_ " He wants to last to keep kissing Chad as they pound their pelvises together. The familiar slip-slide and tightness around his length makes Christian need to slam harder and faster. He braces his paws flat to the bed, jack-hammering against Chad's groin. He wants to curl into himself as he orgasms or at least collapse and huddle against Chad's chest, but he keeps feeling paws on him, caressing and touching all up and down his sides, then back to eventually cup and separate his ass cheeks. As his hole is exposed to open air, he comes, shooting a load of semen so powerful he causes his thighs to quake, continuing to thrust with each hard jolt. He releases a small growl as he lets go of his final orgasm and he begins to pant, his body doing inexplicable thrusting movements, like he had more wanting to come out. 

All Christian keeps hearing is Chad's own breathing, feeling those paws soothing him to lay down and rest. He will, but then he knows he'll be right back to thrusting into another series of orgasms. 

==&&==&&== 

Jared had only closed his eyes briefly to wait out the moment until he could hear Jensen softly snoring. He had pulled away, reluctantly, flipping to lie on his back, but closer to Jensen's side where his shoulder brushes the pillow that was being used to keep them apart. He arcs his left arm over his head, settling his right paw to rest mid-sternum on his chest. He tries to close his eyes to fall asleep, but he feels restless and fidgety. Jared isn't horny, but he does feel a stirring in his belly because he hadn't felt enough courage to initiate a rub-down with Jensen. The atmosphere between them feeling a bit on the strained side. 

He thinks he can do without, and not want so desperately, almost sensing his skin-fur prickling to feel Jensen's bare skin around him, feel his warmth, feel his take-in and let-out breaths, feel his very life seeping out of his pores. Jared turns his face into the bend of his elbow, squeezing his lids tight to eradicate those terrible imprints of memory about Jensen, covered in blood. 

Three years ago, he hadn't realized that very blood was his own, but the idea of Jensen possibly having died in his arms continues to plague his mind during moments of awkward silence between them. Hadn't helped that Jared had fainted right before Jensen told him he had been shot, when he finally had opened his eyes to make certain Jensen had survived. A few eye witness accounts, and some media footage, taken that day proved very little in details, but the glimpses that had surfaced had proved that a tearful, frightened young boy had cradled his bloodied and near-death Canus bodyguard, unwilling to release him to being treated for his bullet wounds. Even when the Canus EMTs had shown, Jensen couldn't trust anyone to care for Jared the way he had. 

In his hospital room, Jared had woken with some crazy notion that Jensen had been shot, too, or worse, that the nurses had lied to him and the young boy was dead or lay dying. He had grieved to prepare himself—yes, alone, Jared had cried wracking sobs in his empty private suite in the ICU wing. Somehow his mind had freakishly transposed their roles, and it hadn't meant a damn thing that he had wounds healing that had proved every single shot meant for Jensen had hit him first, and only. 

The next morning, Jared had somberly attempted to think about gathering enough courage to wake and start the day, take his medications and eat his meals. Then visiting hours had arrived, and through his long glass wall from his Envicare bed, Jared had spotted Jensen, who had been antsy under his father's grip, ready to finally see his Canus bodyguard after he had recovered from surgery. Jared had, literally, crawled from his bed, not even caring about wires and tubing he had been hooked to, and despite all the agonizing pain of his wounds, to meet Jensen halfway. Jensen had broken away from Alan's entourage, bolting toward Jared's room. Both Jared and Jensen had collapsed on the tiled floor in overflowing tears, simply holding one another and promising never to let the other go. 

Jared shoots open his lids, wiping a paw-pad over the corners of his eyes to get rid of the start of new tears. It's been three years and he still can't rid himself of the images nor the feelings. He had been physically unable to let any of it go, having felt a deep-emotional bond with Jensen almost immediately upon first meeting him. It was why Jared had been treating Jensen with kid gloves; why he hadn't ever let him out of his sight and why he could be mean and cruel sometimes to keep him safe. The Alpha in him begging to come out to protect his own—Josh, Jensen and Mackenzie. He had always seen Alan Ackles as an equal pack leader in Alpha, but so much weaker and subservient because he had let his hidden fears and emotions drive him over the very family—his “pack”—who could have saved him. 

Jared rolls until he finds himself on his stomach, pressing up against Jensen, even though there's a pillow between them. A hand moves down the shape of Jensen's body, while Jared rests his head on the plushness to look up at his mate sleeping. Jared shifts upward until he has his frame aligned, until his chest is deeply breathing on top of Jensen's curled side. He nudges Jensen's head, shuffling him to lay on his back beneath him, then Jared bats away the offending pillow to the floor. He replaces his forearm to the same place, jostling Jensen to roll toward him, where head niches in the crook of his arm's elbow. Jared sifts blunt cut nails through the shorn locks, down the bare nape, across the shoulder blades and over the expanse of back. He brings his left left up to part Jensen's thighs, then holds down the left leg. 

Jensen gradually wakes to sensing incredible warmth and the scent of Jared around him. His heart had ached, body gone numb and then his throat filled with a hundred apologies. He could've cried from forgetting how easily he should've apologized. Jared had waited for him, caring enough—respected space enough—to not initiate their usual rub-down. Jensen had felt too hurt in his paltry human emotions to think like a Canus mate, who would've known to appease and submit eventually to their Alpha. He feels heartbroken to have abandoned Jared to feeling unloved and unwanted. It's rare for him to be that cruel to Jared, even when his emotions were raw and bruised. 

He whimpers and keens, throwing his head back to offer out his throat, a stretch of neck and even portions of his upper chest. He can feel the rough paw-pads inching along his torso, under his shirt. Jensen lifts slightly to pull off his shirt off from the back collar. As he goes to lie down, Jared buries his face in the crook of his neck, trying to control his emotions—nothing sexual, just an overwhelming rush of feelings. Instead of their typical rub-down of merely bodies, Jensen brings out his arms and hands to hold Jared as close as possible, letting his fingertips pet over the silky skin-fur, illiciting purrs and a few soft whimpers from Jared against his flesh. He lets his hands sculpt down Jared's back to stop at his waist and merge his fingers together at the upper curves of Jared's backside where his pants hang low off his hips. Without realizing, Jensen presses on the spot where Jared's tail would've been, now it's become a pulsating erogenous zone for him. 

Jared cries out, throwing his head back as he cants his hips, dropping his head to bite gently at Jensen's skin. Jensen immediately pulls back, but then touches anywhere else but there. He hadn't felt Jared harden, but he had sensed some movement, like a tickle. Jensen leans his head against Jared's, wanting to rub cheeks, wanting to see if he was willing to try that “kissing”-thing again. Jared becomes as still as he can, letting the pleasure course through him before he caresses Jensen again. He flips his head, one eye peering at Jensen to watch the full, pouty mouth open and close, the teeth biting down on upper and lower lips. Curious, he raises his head, tilts inward in one direction and leans over...lips connect briefly as Jared tears himself away to stare down into wide green eyes. 

This is a different sensation, but as meaningful as the kiss this morning. Jared shifts to set his forearms on either side of Jensen's head, fingers and paw-pads touching Jensen's face and hair. As Jared bends in, Jensen leans up, their mouths colliding. Jensen turns his head to open his lips and munch on Jared's bottom lip, then tentatively sticks out his tongue to lick away any pain he might inflict with his tendency to be too rough inside of his passionate natural instinct. Jared doesn't expect the kiss to feel this way, making his toes curl and his mind go out of focus. To him, kissing lips is another form of touching but the power and force it wields, the control one can have with the action, makes him crave it more and more. 

He takes over, learning quite easily that, just like with any intimacy, there are several different ways to perform. He leans his brow on Jensen's face, letting them both catch a breath, then Jared feels the tiny, soft pecks over the skin-fur on his face. Jared lifts a hand to grab Jensen's wrist tightly and he twists his head to start similar kisses to Jensen's palm, each stretch of finger. It was amazing to watch Jared discover a new sexual connection he can have with Jensen that can be blended into the Canus rub-downs. 

They take off no more clothing, sufficing with being half-dressed, feeling part skin and skin-fur to then feel the brush of clothing over bare skin. They still bend and conform around open another, rubbing faces over one another's body until they finally curled about the other in the center of the mattress. Jared brings up the tangle of sheets, in case Jensen begins to shiver, but he never does when he's huddled and burrowing deeply into Jared's chest for the remaining hours of the night into the morning. 

Anyone spying on them while they slumber would swear they were already mated as their heartbeats and their deep breaths match perfectly in tandem. 

==&&==&&== 

This time it had been Jared sleeping in, waking up at his usual hour to find the space beside him empty and Jensen gone. He sits up and blinks the sleep from his eyes, swiping a paw over his face as he yawns. He draws up his legs, placing his arms on his knees as he glances around the bedroom. Jared really does like this look Jensen's adopted, because it's an off-shoot of his own typical military-style, but with more finesse. What stuns him is that Jared can tell there had been a change, some things had been removed—permanently. It had been subtle, but Jared had known they were gone. He lifts his head and sniffs, then sits on the side of the mattress to stare at the night stand—and _right there_ is his first clue. 

No clutter, no books, not one piece of trash or dirty dish. Gone are the dog dystopia novel in Canus novel and the Canus-to-English dictionary. Curious, he slides over to bend and open the lower drawer, there are no Canus dildos or helpful sexual books on the Canus positions in sex and intimacy. 

Closing the drawer, Jared knows he should feel pleased, since it's a sign that Jensen has taken his comments seriously, and he would settle down to maturity. Jared pushes off the bed in a bit of agitation because he doesn't want to force Jensen to change the bits of him he adores. He doesn't want Jensen to _never_ be a sexual being with him, just not so in-your-face and wildly wanton, like he'll slip out-of-control one day. He doubts the average fifteen-year-old human has the same horniness for a Canus like Jensen does. Jared's interest is piqued to know just how rare he and Jensen's relationship is compared to other Canus-to-human matings. 

He's about to pick Jensen's dirty laundry basket up when he notices the plastic bin is full of clean and folded clothes. With furrowed brow, he puts them away, stepping toward the closet to hang a cashmere sweater when he discovers that the clothing on the hangers are organized. There is even a semblance of clean-up on the floor where each shoe Jensen owns can be seen and has an exact pair right beside it. Jared closes the door, carrying the empty basket on his hip as he exits. He tries to walk down the hallway discretely, fully aware he is bare-chested with only his trousers on. He goes down the back staircase to drop into the kitchen and bypasses his own bedroom to reach the laundry room. 

Jared can hear the washer and the tumbling dryer, noticing that not only has someone started Jensen's clothes, but everyone else's, too. Thankful for the aide, he really doesn't mind the menial tasks of the household. He can hear Josh and Mackenzie in the kitchen. When he enters, Mackenzie runs into his arms and he bends to pick her up, settling her on his chest, holding her as close as she needs him to. He glances about the kitchen, a frown marring his forehead. “Where's Jensen?” 

“Out.” Josh goes back and forth from fridge to counter. 

“Out?!” Instantly, Jared's heart rate increases, and he holds on tight to Mackenzie. “Where did he go so early?” 

“Funnily enough—or maybe not-so-funny—to workout with Dad.” Josh shrugs his shoulders, twisting around to lick the butter knife in his hand. 

“Who went with them?” Jared almost grinds his teeth together inside his mouth, clenching his jaw so tight. 

“Just Christian. Dad likes only one guard when it's him doing personal things.” Josh gives a quick glance to Jared's worried look. “Hey, man...he's fine. Jus' a little father/son time. They left about an hour ago an'...” He rolls over his wrist to check the time. “—should be back _very_ soon.” 

Jared attempts to remain calm and compose himself. “How has she been?” He stares down at the blonde mop of curls on his chest, unable to see Mackenzie's face. 

Josh raises an eyebrow. “Well, she was up before all of us. Even Dad, and you remember what an early bird he can be. Jensen heard her an' went to her bedroom, stayed with her until he knew I was up. I've had her since. Jensen waited until Dad was awake, and they went inside Dad's office. And, no...I don't know what they talked about.” He clears his throat, watching Jared pace around with Mackenzie in his arms, trying to gently sway with her to keep her less agitated. “You don't happen to know what's going on, do you?” 

Jared immediately goes stiff, his knees locking into position, so he leans back on the counter ledge. “I do know, but—it's up to Jensen to tell the story.” He's recalling a little bit of what Jensen was discussing last night, especially concerning Alan and Josh. “He's not even sure if Alan will go along with his plan.” 

“mmm—interesting.” Josh narrows his gaze on Jared's secretive features. “Dad looked mighty pleased, whatever Jensen said to him.” He leans back to relax on his portion of the counter. “And, since you asked, she's just been restless. I haven't noticed anymore changes.” 

“She probably won't shift again until she's near her transformation.” 

“I don't think it'll be too difficult to keep this from Dad. He barely acknowledges her existence...doesn't even look at her sometimes.” 

“It was easier when she was a baby.” As if Mackenzie hears her own name being tossed around the air, she burrows into Jared's neck, so he soothes over her back and rests his jaw on top of her head, cuddling her closer. 

“Well, yeah, 'cuz she was a 'prop'. Now she's becoming a real person. Worse, a female. The weaker of the sexes, according to him.” 

Jared picks up his head, his ears twinging. “They're back.” He strolls over to Josh, giving Mackenzie back to him. “I should shower and change.” His paw immediately sifts through Josh's hair, scratching at the scalp. “You going to stay for breakfast?” 

Josh swiftly takes over holding his little sister, letting her attach to his front like a baby monkey. “I'm staying as long as it takes Jensen to shower and change. I gotta meet my study group at a coffee house, then we'll carpool to class.” 

“I'll try to be quick.” Jared's shower and dryer time would be cut short since his body-shave. 

Josh doesn't know what to say as Jared hurriedly leaves, exiting out one doorway and then Jensen wanders in through another, like perfect synchronization. 

Jensen goes right to the fridge, grabbing a juice, kissing Mackenzie head, ruffling her curls and then says, “I'll shower as fast as I can.” And then he's gone. 

Josh is dumbfounded. Not sure how to explain the sudden shift in Jared and Jensen. Today, Jensen is the calm one, while Jared is being the erratic one. Josh shakes his head, unable to find any reason or logic to the switch. 

==&&==&&== 

Jared is dressed and already in the kitchen when Jensen strolls in with his knapsack over one shoulder. Jared spins around when he hears the sound of heavy footsteps, then watches Jensen come through the doorway in the distance that leads directly to the breakfast nook table. Jensen takes a chair, plopping down one of his schoolbooks to work on or fix part of his homework. Jared feels a little hurt Jensen hadn't taken his usual spot at the island counter. Even Mackenzie grows curious, looking between Jared and Jensen. She ends up sliding off her stool and carrying her plate to the table. Jared follows, bringing over her juice glass and Jensen's place setting. 

Jensen looks up, giving off a bright dazzling smile, then shoves everything over to make room. “Morning, Jared.” 

At least his disposition was genuinely happy. “Did you sleep well?” Because Jared knows he hadn't slept for much longer after their extensive rub-down. 

“Oh, yeah, sorry.” Jensen scratches at his nose as he squints up at Jared. “I would've woken you but I didn't want to miss Dad.” 

“I understand.” Jared clamps a hand on Jensen's shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze. “Scrambled good?” 

“Yes. Thanks, Jared.” Jensen returns to scribbling the solution down. 

Jared doesn't know what to think. Typically, Jensen would've been hounding him with questions, acting jealous and seeming like he would rather stay at home than go to school. He isn't sure how to take this new, improved Jensen, even if it was all Jared's own doing that the version existed. Jared carries over the food, preparing his own plate as he pours Jensen a glass of orange juice. He's about to open his mouth and start grilling Jensen, but Mackenzie jumps off her chair, walking toward Jared as he sits down. “Yes, _pa'ia_?” 

“I'mma go brush my teeth.” 

Jared chuckles softly, patting his paw on her nosetip. “Okay. Come back to me when you're all done.” 

“I will.” Mackenzie calls out as she rushes off with the _clomp-clomp_ of her sneakers. 

Jared is finally alone with Jensen, and Jensen hadn't even bothered to glance up once, going from writing down numbers to eating with his fork. “So...how did it go? With Alan?” Jared shakes out his cloth napkin to lay over his lap. 

Jensen sighs, biting into the triangle of buttered toast. “Good. Rocky, at first. He thought I wasn't serious. We had a pretty good talk.” He stops writing to stare ahead, but not directly at Jared. “He'll try to arrange for me to spend the day with him a few times a month. But, most important, if I want to succeed in the cooperate world, I have to improve my grades.” 

Jared stares across the table, speechless. “You already have the good grades—a solid B to a low A average. I'm not letting you bust ass to get all A's, that's unrealistic.” He purses his lips to a tight “O”. “If Alan were around more, maybe he'd know that.” 

Jensen tamps down the smile he wants to release at how possessive Jared sounds, instead he nods his head in agreement. “Not disputing that. I'm not stupid. I just meant he wants me to apply myself and take the work seriously. I _do_ need to show him I have some initiative.” 

Jared swallows the lump lodged in his throat, dropping his gaze to the table, then his own plate. “You don't have to prove anything to him, Jensen.” 

“Hey, I get it.” Jensen holds up his hands, palms out, in his defense. “It upsets you that I cut him the slack that I do.” 

“When it hurts you, you better fuckin' believe I don't like it.” Jared snaps back, but more toward the air around them, not at Jensen. 

“You don't have to keep doing _that_.” Jensen softens his tone, his own gaze lowering because it still touches his heart to know how much Jared would still protect him and keep him safe, even after all those years and taking those bullets meant for him. 

“What?” Jared almost chokes on his next breath because he knows exactly what Jensen means. 

“Saving me.” They both share a short glance at one another, then look away to fall into quiet. Jensen clears his throat of the clogged mucus trying to prevent him from talking. “He's my Dad, no matter how shitty he is at it. I chose to interact with him this once.” 

“Why?” Jared doesn't even know why he sat down with a plate, his stomach's in knots and he can't eat it right now. So he drinks the coffee in the mug instead. “Because he's never seen you otherwise.” 

“Do you want me to stop...because I will.” Jensen is being painfully honest. He'll do whatever Jared tells him to do, right now. “I can blow him off and act childish again.” 

“No...no...don't.” Jared shakes his head, groaning out as he sets down his mug. He makes a low growl of frustration under his breath. “I don't know why I don't like this.” 

Jensen smirks from one end of his mouth. “You don't like it because, in a way, it takes me away from you...an' your influence is tested.” He lifts an eyebrow then his chin is held high like he dares Jared to deny him. 

“No...well, yes. I suppose. It's more complicated than that, though.” 

Jensen wrinkles his brow in confusion. “How so?” 

“I'm Alpha. I see Alan as Alpha, too. I think of this family as my 'pack'.” 

“Is it a certain 'dominance' over me.” Jensen gets a slight tingle down his spine at the idea of being dominated by Jared, like he had been yesterday, but only for show. The Alpha come out to play. 

“Yes, but not like you imagine.” 

“What do I imagine?” 

“It's not a sexual dominance.” Jared gives off a tiny grin as he sees how this disappoints Jensen. “It's more about your heart. Maybe even your whole self. To keep you safe, not just from harm physically, but mentally and emotionally.” 

Jensen nods his head in understanding, then grabs both ends of his pencil, keeping his eyes on his schoolbook and notebook paper. “What if I told you—would you feel any different, if I told you...” He lifts his eyes to catch Jared's wide gaze staring at him. “...I'm simply making my Dad 'think' he has me, when he actually won't have any part of me under his control?” 

Jared stares in shock at Jensen, his chest tightening. “I said I thought of him as Alpha, but he is a weaker one. One that can be manipulated.” He's rolling around the scenario in his mind of exactly what Jensen could have planned and it's quite...sneaky and inventive. 

“Answer my question... _do you mind_?” Jensen smiles broadly at Jared, who just seems to keep looking at him with a shadow of a silly grin on his face. “I only want to submit to one Alpha in my life, and I can tell you now, it isn't going to be my Dad.” 

Jared pushes out of his seat, moving around the table to squat beside Jensen's chair. He places a hand on Jensen's back, soothing the hunched spine. “No, I don't mind. I would rather you submit willingly to me, never him.” They share a long look that has them both grinning sheepishly at one another. Jared quickly leans in to kiss, then rubs their cheeks together. “Tell me why you got rid of all your Canus items?” 

Jensen bends his left arm to rest his head on as he turns his body to face Jared. “Is it wrong of me to want more of the _real thing_?” 

“No...” Jared has sense enough to drop his chin and go flush a little. “...but I'm not fully against a bit of practice until the actual moment comes when I take you as my own.” Jared clutches a paw over the right hand holding the pencil. “It would be painful even as humans in male to male contact. The knot makes the coupling severely traumatic, but the elasticity of the Canus opening is prepared to take the brunt. A human male versus a knot?” He shakes his head, catching darkening green eyes. “I wouldn't want you to be alone, for practicing or the real thing.” 

Jensen folds his arms on the table, moving to rest his chin on his right arm's biceps so he can look directly at Jared's face. “I don't want anyone, or anything, but you inside me.” 

Jared leans over again, burying his face in Jensen's neck. “Bring the box to my room. I will decide what to keep and what to throw out.” 

Jensen shuffles around to surround Jared in both arms, like he'd fall if he didn't hold on. “Okay.” He twists his head so he can peck a kiss on the skin-fur, but he doesn't see anything except a stretch of neck with a thick tendon. He kisses at that spot, then licks at the length only to sloppily open-mouth kiss and suckle at the sweet and salty taste. It was the Canus body shampoo Jared had used; it scented with a heavy nut flavor. The shampoo must have contained an oil-base because Jensen can't stop kissing with only the tip of his tongue out. 

Jared thinks nothing of it, only tries to please his mate. He's starting to really like this “kissing” addition—something humans thrived on. He draws backward, cupping both paws around Jensen's head to place a solid lip-lock on Jensen's mouth. 

They smile at one another, then Jared stands to take Jensen's empty plate and starts getting ready to begin their daily routine. 

**== &&==&&==&&==**

**TBC...**


End file.
